tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42426169417151248422024-03-12T17:44:08.099-07:00Vagabonding The World An entrepreneur from New York living and traveling abroadthoughtsofaceohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08525025438327231930noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4242616941715124842.post-91682049684826386152019-03-30T10:19:00.001-07:002019-03-30T10:19:11.544-07:00Ride Of Your Life <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C-KQd4PcM_k/XJ-k_5-hMqI/AAAAAAAAK_o/MsEAJNOTFWwB_dmy_6Ta7pePudrUtfeQQCLcBGAs/s1600/Update.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="299" data-original-width="960" height="123" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C-KQd4PcM_k/XJ-k_5-hMqI/AAAAAAAAK_o/MsEAJNOTFWwB_dmy_6Ta7pePudrUtfeQQCLcBGAs/s400/Update.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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We traveled to the End of The World to complete the film.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>After almost a year and a half delay, we traveled to Ushuaia in Argentina, referred to as the End Of The World, and partook in a trip from there up through El Calafate to the glaziers, and then on to Bariloche shooting footage.<br />
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We will be editing over the coming months I look to deliver the film to our distributor shortly thereafter. You can see some raw uncut outtakes on our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/Rideofyourlife/" target="_blank">Facebook group</a>.<br />
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Doing some tourism was a shift for me, and it had its ups and downs. </div>
thoughtsofaceohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08525025438327231930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4242616941715124842.post-20862838667732341222019-03-30T10:12:00.001-07:002019-03-30T10:12:11.036-07:00Upcoming Event in Bangalore <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: normal;">Everybody wishes their financial life was calm.</span> </span><span style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; line-height: normal;">That’s why I am so excited about an eCourse called </span><u style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal;">The Financial Renovation,</u>created<span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;"> by Lauren Greutman.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: normal;">In this eCourse, you will learn how to:</span></span></div>
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<li style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: normal;">create a budget that actually works</span></span></li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: normal;">save 50% on your grocery bill</span></span></li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: normal;">improve communication with your significant other about money</span></span></li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: normal;">pay off debt faster!</span></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;"></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;"></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;"></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;"></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: normal;">This <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://ceohangout.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u%3D05cfed0860d2b0ee11a44a323%26id%3D1cdc8276c0%26e%3D2f5adebe5c&source=gmail&ust=1554044152977000&usg=AFQjCNEqXAI1UnXMfpEX6WzaohEoo8BwVw" href="https://ceohangout.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=05cfed0860d2b0ee11a44a323&id=1cdc8276c0&e=2f5adebe5c" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #007c89;" target="_blank">eCourse</a> includes 27 video lessons, plus 4 bonus lessons, AND a private members’ community. </span> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal;">Normally, The Financial Renovation sells for $99</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: normal;">, but for just a few more days, you can get it for just </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal;">$37</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: normal;">! (That’s more than 60% off!).</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: normal;">But that’s not all…</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: normal;">I’m also really excited about the </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://ceohangout.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u%3D05cfed0860d2b0ee11a44a323%26id%3D875e5f3f6a%26e%3D2f5adebe5c&source=gmail&ust=1554044152977000&usg=AFQjCNHl4Yy_w9_nUR_R4U4a0XLKTkxDlg" href="https://ceohangout.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=05cfed0860d2b0ee11a44a323&id=875e5f3f6a&e=2f5adebe5c" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #007c89; font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">How to be Frugal eCourse</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: normal;">(valued at $99). This eCourse has ten units (21 lessons!) that you can watch over and over again. You’ll learn how to reframe your habits (and accomplish your financial goals), get free (or cheap!) stuff, how to coupon, and so much more! </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: normal;">Together, these resources normally sell for $198, but you can get them </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;"></span><em style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: normal;">both </em><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: normal;">for $37.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: normal;">Here’s how to do it:</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: normal;">All of these are part of the </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://ceohangout.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u%3D05cfed0860d2b0ee11a44a323%26id%3D502a120317%26e%3D2f5adebe5c&source=gmail&ust=1554044152977000&usg=AFQjCNHjuwZwp1ljr9ApxKl59TSbdB1kLw" href="https://ceohangout.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=05cfed0860d2b0ee11a44a323&id=502a120317&e=2f5adebe5c" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #007c89; font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">Master Your Money Super Bundle</a>, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: normal;">a collection of 44 other eCourses, eBooks, printables, videos, workbooks, plus these two eCourses I just told you about.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: normal;">Now, I get that it’s a HUGE number of resources, but here’s the thing… </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal;">even if just a handful of products apply to your life right now, it’s well worth the investment. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: normal;">And the best part is</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal;">this collection is yours to keep</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: normal;">. It isn’t going anywhere. All you need to do is download all the eBooks and register for the <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://ceohangout.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u%3D05cfed0860d2b0ee11a44a323%26id%3D62d1a885a5%26e%3D2f5adebe5c&source=gmail&ust=1554044152977000&usg=AFQjCNFUQ6Tc4HX4lcVHPsqzpYb8kRQlqA" href="https://ceohangout.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=05cfed0860d2b0ee11a44a323&id=62d1a885a5&e=2f5adebe5c" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #007c89;" target="_blank">eCourses</a> within six months of purchase.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: normal;">Everything in the bundle can be yours for just $37, but only if you buy it </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal;">before it goes off sale on Monday at midnight!</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: 700;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: normal;">Sound good? <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://ceohangout.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u%3D05cfed0860d2b0ee11a44a323%26id%3D308ded2a73%26e%3D2f5adebe5c&source=gmail&ust=1554044152978000&usg=AFQjCNEXxGNiqZoyi7eQF2eMTFN6WWmyLg" href="https://ceohangout.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=05cfed0860d2b0ee11a44a323&id=308ded2a73&e=2f5adebe5c" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #007c89;" target="_blank">Click here</a> to get everything you need to pay off debt and reach your financial goals.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;"></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: normal;">But don’t wait too long, I’d hate for you to miss it. :)</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: normal;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: normal;"><a href="https://mailchi.mp/e2584e58fdf8/how-about-a-25-hour-day-1431909?e=2f5adebe5c" target="_blank">Click here for more info</a></span></span></div>
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thoughtsofaceohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08525025438327231930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4242616941715124842.post-41977993190417008172019-02-23T08:51:00.000-08:002019-02-23T08:51:35.181-08:00The Days Before Vagabonding<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
For 18 years I ran freight management and logistics companies. I started most of them with small amounts of capital; the first I launched with a few clients lined up and $4,000 in the bank. It grew to $130,000 a month by the 13th month. That was just the start.<br />
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I sold it 3 years later and veered into entertainment; first a music production company and artist management firm. With a few near misses, I segued and launched Big City Records. We achieved a front page stellar review on Billboard, in the Jeanie Mcadams column The Rhythm & The Blues for the album Soul King. We were one of only 7 indie labels to appear at the Jack The Rapper R & B music convention in Atlanta, GA in 1991. When our distributor Schwartz Brothers expanded into video and fell into Chapter 11, our cash flow ended and I had to close it. So it was back to what I knew.<br />
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In 1991 armed with $10,000 I launched a new freight logistics company, expanding (beyond truckload and direct expedited LTL services) to trade-show delivery, and later national commercial furniture delivery & installation in 28 states -- the largest independent in the country by 1994. I sold it in 1997 and became Chief Operating Officer of that division where I expanded into a 200,000 square foot facility on 7 acres with an in-house railroad track, where I built out a packaging plant to unload trains and package those goods. By 1998 I was tired of the industry and leap at the chance to sell a small entertainment company I started in 1997 to a publicly traded company and took the helm as president of that subsidiary.<br />
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Quickly I had assets in stock, though due to the SEC 144 Rule couldn't sell it for one year. But I achieved what i long set out to do: get a public company selling consumer products, in this case, packaged music (cassettes and DVDs). During that year I got my first taste of bureaucratic aggravation and, despite being elevated to CEO of the entire company, found myself responsible for a company I didn't really control. It was the misstep that would change my life.<br />
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By the next summer when a product we marketed fiercely to get ranking in the record pool charts (#9 in Atalanta, #1 Pensacola, and elsewhere,) and our marketing budget was suddenly 'moved,' I'd had enough. But when I resigned and made a deal to take back ownership of those products it was too late, and I lacked the finances to right that now privately-held ship.<br />
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I was penniless in 2000. For the first time I understood what broke meant. I was about the lose my apartment on 55th street with no idea where to turn, living on a quart of WonTon soup each day. I didn't want to return to the freight industry.<br />
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A new chapter began. I made a few quick deals in 2001 and got back on my feet. But I had no direction of where I wanted to go, and no one I wanted to go there with. I took a gig as a New York columnist for an L.A. based magazine, and wrote one off articles and reviews under a pseudonym for music-related magazines; American Songwriter, Glide, Jazz Review and others.<br />
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When I befriended a woman from the neighborhood 40 years my senior, over the next year or so she became familiar with my writing and asked if I'd help her complete her memoir.<br />
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After the death of her famous son many years earlier, she had gone to Buenos Aires, and fell in love with the city where she met a small group of friends that would host her once a year during her pilgrimages there. She asked if I wanted to go with her this year. Not really, but I loved her so I couldn't say no. April 2003 I found myself in Recoleea, an upscale part of Buenos Aires. By the second day -- when she asked 'what do you think?' I told her I was staying. In fact I went back to NYC, got my affairs in order and traveled back.<br />
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My first friend was a Colombian photojournalist student. A few months later I got a gig to do an article about the nightlife, so I hired her to take the photos and serve as an interpreter. When I paid her and asked what she would do with the money, she instantly said "travel." Where I asked. Up north, to Salta. I said I'd check the airfares to which she said, "no, by bus."<br />
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My images of bus travel equated to Greyhound, which didn't intrigue me. But I was game. I had traveled the world as a businessman and tourist. But I was totally clueless about backpacking. The day we were to leave I had my big rolling suitcase in the foyer of the apartment we shared in Monserrat, a neighborhood in Buenos Aires. "Not with me", she said. "You need a backpack."<br />
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That trip changed my life, again. We hitchhiked, wandered without a plan, and became so immersed in local culture, that for the first time I looked upon these new places without the baggage of predefined expectations. I evolved from being a tourist that went places and looked at things, to being a traveler who saw.<br />
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I've been vagabonding since.<br />
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thoughtsofaceohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08525025438327231930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4242616941715124842.post-63229874625557342632018-09-12T13:10:00.002-07:002019-02-23T08:48:33.316-08:00Huge Markings Found Along The Irish Coast <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: medium;">Irish neutrality during the Second World War involved some hasty preparations being made around the island of Ireland. One of the more unlikely measures taken was to have the word 'Eire' written into the coastal landscape at 32 points around the country. </span><br />
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="more"></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: medium;">In a recent newsletter I received, they had an interesting piece about Ireland during WWII.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: medium;">I1938 the Irish Coast Watching Service set up 82 look-out posts (LOPs) that were permanently manned stations. In realit,y they were little more than concrete sheds (akin to pill-box structures) but served a vital purpose. From these modest buildings, all activity around the coast of Ireland was carefully noted and reported to the Dublin authorities. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: medium;">Often the installation of a LOP would be accompanied by the creation of a huge 'EIRE' sign, etched into the landscape. </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: medium; font-weight: 700;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box;">Éire</i>is the Gaelic word for Ireland.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: medium;"> The signs were constructed so as to be visible from the air. Allied aircraft would recognize them as indicating Irish soil and be aware that they were over a neutral country. Of course, the signs were also very useful land markers for the pilots who could use them to pinpoint their exact location. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://www.ireland-information.com/aug18.html" target="_blank"><br /></a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://www.ireland-information.com/aug18.html" target="_blank">Continue reading this and other news here</a></span></div>
thoughtsofaceohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08525025438327231930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4242616941715124842.post-45672500780901694022018-07-08T14:51:00.000-07:002018-07-08T14:51:02.123-07:007 Entrepreneur Travel Hacks That Can Maximize Productivity<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The title above was to an article my friend Vinil Ramdev wrote for Entrepreneur Magazine. In he delves into some useful tips when traveling.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>He talks about Global Entry, preparing properly, cutting out articles, and being creative. He also talks about credit cards, which to use and why.<br />
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And no traveler is complete without having the rights apps -- mobile apps are increasingly effective in before, during and travel. You can read his article <a href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/280670" target="_blank">HERE</a><br />
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For example, I've been traveling for years, and my side hobby was reviewing the places I've gone on TripAdvisor, where I've become one of the <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.in/members/btdugan" target="_blank">top 1% reviewers on that site</a>. It's not necessary, but it's fun.<br />
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There are a lot of ways to travel. As the old adage goes,<br />
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<i>Tourists go place to look at things; travelers go places to see things. </i></blockquote>
If you want to be a real traveler, it means becoming immersed in the environment you're in, not just looking at the landmarks in a tourist guide. Get off the beaten track, explore, engage and the experience will be beyond your wildest dreams. To that end, a book that clearly spoke to what I was feeling for years, was wonderfully expressed in the book "<i>Vagabonding; An Uncommon Guide to Long-Term World Travel"</i>. Written by Rolph Potts, a consummate world traveler. you can read my review of that book <a href="https://brieaustin.com/2012/08/vagabonding-a-review/" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<br />
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<b>Go forth and explore, it's in our human nature!</b><br />
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thoughtsofaceohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08525025438327231930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4242616941715124842.post-26172670366221026652017-09-19T06:29:00.002-07:002017-09-19T06:29:45.109-07:00Day 3 - Nagpur to Jhansi <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Last night was great night driving, then the rains, then the road became pot holes of mud and rocks, and then -- just as we found good paved roads again -- the engine stopped. Today was better, until it wasn't.<br />
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When we stopped for dinner there was a kid that worked at the roadside restaurant that 'spoke' perfect English, like a parrot he could repeat anything, but understood not a word.<br />
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When we pushed off around sunset we went about 20 kilometers and the rains came. We pushed on at a 100, we were on a schedule. They subsided about an hour later. However, there is nothing to make your heart skip a beat faster than flying down a dark road and in an instant be upon cows blocking your path. <br />
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thoughtsofaceohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08525025438327231930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4242616941715124842.post-56903490579968788162017-09-19T06:11:00.000-07:002017-09-19T06:11:00.022-07:00Day 2 - Hyderabad to Nagpur; riding into the night<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Riding at night can be amazing; quiet dark roads, the hum of the engine, and the brisk night air. It's tranquil, magical even -- until you run out of road.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>I was settled in. We were cruising along at 100 and would go long stretches without seeing another vehicle. It was so peaceful it was almost therapeutic. Then the rains came. Then that beautiful blacktop disintegrated in a heartbeat to a pot-filled gravel and dirt road, if you can call it a road. And barreling head on at us were trucks with their high beams on, blinding us.<br />
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Sure, I know what you're thinking, flash them the high low beams, and they'll turn off their highs. Think again; they won't. Why not? Because they don't give a f*ck. You'd think a farm tractor who wants to turn onto or cross the road your on would wait the minute or two it would take for you to pass instead of blocking your path causing your to brake hard. There was no one else on the road, why wouldn't they wait the minute. Because they don't give a f*ck. You flying down a two lane when suddenly a bus is in your lane as he is passing another vehicle, causing you to ride the shoulder. When he sees you wouldn't he get back in his lane? Of course not, why, you guess it. He doesn't give a f*ck. <br />
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But I'm getting ahead of myself. We got into Hyderabad mid-evening the night before, so we had a good nights rest. And we needed it, because we had only gotten 2 1/2 hours sleep the night before.<br />
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Yet I woke the next morning with every muscle aching, and my first thought was "what the hell did you get yourself into. That faded quick, as I've never been one to back away from a challenge, and I wasn't going to start now.<br />
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We're not your typical riders who wake early and hit the road by 6:AM. We're digital nomads, which means we have to get online and work every day or every other. So we checked out, packed up the bikes, and stopped at a cafe to do some work.<br />
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We left out mid-afternoon and I was happy to get out of there. I've often talked about the <a href="https://thevagabondviews.blogspot.in/2013/02/driving-in-india-well-sort-of.html#more" target="_blank">horrible</a> <a href="https://thevagabondviews.blogspot.in/2013/02/driving-in-india-well-sort-of.html#more" target="_blank">driving in Bangalore</a>, but Hyderabad makes them look like driving rock stars. As we following the main road under the metro, it was 3 lanes that had 5 lanes of chaos; and people playing the human version of frog-er aimlessly wandered across seemingly unconcerned -- they would just hold up a hand as though the traffic would obey. What a madhouse.If you'd even ridden on the back of my bike you'd begin to realize how insane these people drive for me to say what I did.<br />
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Once out of the city the rain came we traveled through sections where the road was littered with cows and/or buffalo. During the day it's not a big deal. It's a sight, but not a problem. At night it's a different matter because you can't see them until you're right on top of them. </div>
thoughtsofaceohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08525025438327231930noreply@blogger.com0Hyderabad, Telangana, India17.385044 78.48667116.9002155 77.841224 17.8698725 79.132118tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4242616941715124842.post-86339398353740893502017-09-09T01:48:00.000-07:002017-09-09T01:54:08.091-07:00Day 1 -- We endured <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We didn't get off to a great start. We'd been working (not on this but rather our business) right up until 2:AM the day of the ride. With about 2 1/2 hours of sleep Nihanth and I got up, got ready, took too long to load our gear, and then ...<br />
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So we got a late start, wrestled with Bangalore traffic until we cleared Airport road and could open the throttles (... Kiran, we never took your bike over 80!). We did pass this statue/ monument that we assume was Visnu or Shiva related, but didn't have time to stop. <br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"> <span style="color: black; font-family: "tinos"; font-size: small;">We took an early detour to a small village called Lepakshi -- famous for the Nandi (bull) statue (mount of Shiva) which is considered one of the largest statues cut from a single block of stone. Down the road a few hundred meters was the Veerabhadra Temple. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Built in the 16th century. it is a sacred and protected site. There are fresco paintings of Rama, Krishna, and many of the epic stories from the Mahabharata, Ramayana, and Puranas. </span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">We geared up extensively before we left, and I thought maybe too much. However about 150 kilometers before Hyderabad rain crossed our path and land we endured driving in it about 20 minutes. In my 20s back in the states I wouldn't take my bike out of the garage if it was drizzling, let alone a full rain. But after five years in India and getting caught driving in Monsoon downpours, I'm rather unaffected there days. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Luckily we felt drops and pulled off, covering our bags and trying out our rain gear. The pants were great and kept an otherwise sure to be soaked jeans dry. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">We arrived in Hyderabad around 7PM, partially wet, and sought out Deccan Nawabs, a motorcycle shop so we could buy high waterproof boot for when we hit the Himalayas and have to deal with the water hazards we fully expect to be met with. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">The owner couldn't have been more accommodating. We had called from Bangalore to tell them we'd be coming. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">We geared up with high top boots, winter gloves -- and Nihanth picked up a riding jacket; it matched his helmet so how could we not get it. Now with his black, white and orange helmet, gloves and jacket, people will see only a blur of pumpkin in motion as we thunder by. </span></span></span><br />
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We hung out at Deccan Nawabs longer than we should have, and by the time we checked into the hotel it was 10:30. The one restaurant Nihanth wanted to eat at happened to be next door -- and connected to -- the hotel. Just a coincidence that he booked our room at the Royal Residency?? I think not. None the less, the food was really good; especially the <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Pachi Mirchi Kodi Kebab Pulav the place is known for (made of basmati rice, green chili paste, and chicken cubes).</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">30 minutes later after a hot shower I was done, and conked out for the night. </span></span></span><br />
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thoughtsofaceohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08525025438327231930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4242616941715124842.post-29662729496011558702017-09-04T06:09:00.000-07:002019-02-23T08:44:12.186-08:00Last Thoughts Before We Ride <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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With 48 hours before we set out on our epic 30-day motorcycle trip to the Himalayas and beyond, with all the scheduling and procurement behind me, I'm left with a moment of calm to reflect.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>As I sit in my flat with a soft breeze of about 75 degrees (23% C) wafting in through the open windows, I'm anxious but calm. The sounds of kids chattering out on the street remind me of days gone by when I was a kid in Brooklyn; the bustle of energy just outside my window.<br />
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We've outfitted our bikes with racks and saddlebags, gathered all our supplies, from winter coats, gloves and boots, upgraded our helmets, secured our video equipment, first aid kit and anything else we could foresee needing. No doubt we've forgotten something, but I guess they'll be an adventure in that too if and when we need it.<br />
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They say that riding to Khardung La, the highest motor-able road in the world at 18,380 feet, is to bikers what climbing Everest is to mountaineers. The idea of that only makes this adventure more epic for me.<br />
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When I arrived in India in 2012 I only had plans to be here for 90 days, and then move on to Thailand. I'm a vagabonder and tend to arrive, stay and absorb the local culture and then move on to the next adventure. But it was a fun place so I've been here for 5 years.<br />
Friends and family think I'm a bit off; I should be setting roots and securing my wealth for retirement. Yet, for me, these adventures are wealth. Life is an experience that I don't wish to sleepwalk through.<br />
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I've been wanting to take this ride for three years. The pass is only open 3-4 months a year because of the extreme winters, with snow that shuts it down for most of the year. In each of the last three years however, I found myself back in the states for business, always returning to India weeks, sometimes days, to late to undertake the trip.<br />
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This year I was determined: I pushed off business deals, even a partnership offer back in New York to make the trip this year a reality; I couldn't endure another year of wishful thinking.<br />
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So here I am ready to go. Juggling the logistics and prep has been daunting while also keeping my business affairs running at the same time. But I'm ready to leap and see where I land.<br />
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There are many that venture to Ladakh by motorcycle each year; many do it in large groups, with support vehicles.<br />
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We're going solo. Nihanth and I shall leave from Bangalore and ride for about a week to Delhi, and then on to Manali where Kiran will join us for the final leg of the trip onward to Leh, through the Khardung La pass and into the Nubra valley.<br />
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Like I said, there are many motorcyclists that ride from Delhi to Khardung La each year. Most, however, are not 60 years of age like me. So my thoughts are filled with trepidation as to whether I have the physical ability and mental endurance to still challenge the elements. They'll be areas of extreme cold, random water hazards -- makeshift rivers flowing across the road --, and we'll have to camp out many nights.<br />
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I'm ready. Mentally and emotionally anyway.<br />
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When we're young men in our 20s and 30s, for me even in my 40s, there is a sense of invincibility. 10 years ago however I came to the realization of my own mortality. So that fallacy of invincibility no longer clouds my view.<br />
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But I see this ride as a challenge to overcome the elements and my own physical endurance -- as well as a relentless mountain road to conquer.<br />
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So sitting here in the quiet, the first quiet moments I've had since returning here from New York City in early August, I feel calm. Relaxed. Inspired. Ready for an adventure.<br />
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You can follow along vicariously on this journey I'll be posting to this blog, social media, our website <a href="http://rideofyourlife.in/" target="_blank">rideofyourlife.in </a><br />
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<b>You can also follow us on these platforms</b>:</div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/anexpatinindia/" target="_blank">Facebook Page</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/Rideofyourlife" target="_blank">FacebookGroup</a> | <a href="https://plus.google.com/107022896982345159223" target="_blank">G-Plus</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/vagabondviews" target="_blank">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://plus.google.com/communities/107781312222302308763" target="_blank">G+ Group</a> | <a href="https://in.pinterest.com/btdugan/ride-of-you-life/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a> | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/rideofyourlife.in/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></div>
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thoughtsofaceohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08525025438327231930noreply@blogger.com0Leh India34.1525864 77.5770534999999234.0474809 77.415691999999922 34.2576919 77.738414999999918tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4242616941715124842.post-30520949330011862052017-08-27T07:38:00.003-07:002021-08-04T09:59:02.789-07:00Why I Embraced Vagabonding <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I was a traditional entrepreneur from the age of 23 until my mid-40s. Then a whirlwind of unforeseeable events took place and the current of those events took me on an adventure I never saw coming.<br />
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="more"></a>I've been vagabonding since 2004. I go to places without a plan of how long I will stay, have experiences, and then move on.<br />
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Whether I am on the hunt to discover unknown adventures I can't define, or leaving a life behind is unclear. But the experiences are raw, unfettered, and real. </div>
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They stimulate the imagination and bring into focus a truth that l live by -- nothing is for certain and everything is subject to change. Nothing is better or worse, it is simply something new and original.<br />
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When people ask me why I vagabond, I can only say that it is to experience life up close and personal, without filters. To see cultures, people, lifestyles, and absorb them first, then, in hindsight -- with the clarity, that time and distance provide -- form opinions about it. Rather than having opinions first and seeking out information to validate those beliefs.</div>
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People seem -- to me -- to be driven by the past regrets they can't change or planning for a future that may never come. So I choose to live in the moment, not necessarily for it. I find clarity of mind in that strange space between being disconnected from all that is around me, yet completely aware of it.<br />
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After 20 years of a very traditional life, where I founded and ran various companies, some financially very successful, some not, and during the worst financial fallout of my life (where I lost everything, including my apartment in NYC), something happened. I let go: the current of life has since taken me on adventurous, confusing, and wondrous journeys.<br />
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Some see me as adventurous, others a lunatic. Life is like that -- everyone has an opinion.<br />
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During those down years I began to write, and for the first time was inspired by doing something that I liked the process of as much as the results it generated, for better or worse. There was no end game to it. Rather, it is something I began doing simply for the experience of doing it.<br />
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Because I had a business persona for two decades, complete with designer suits, short-cropped hair, and big fancy cars, I adopted a pseudonym as a writer.<br />
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I wrote for magazines like American Songwriter, Glide, Jazz Review, and others, and even had a NY nightlife column for a while.<br />
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Shortly after <a href="https://www.facebook.com/brie.austin/media_set?set=a.77736670132.159464.596895132&type=3" target="_blank">I moved to Buenos Aires</a> for a 10 day trip with a friend (where I stayed for 7 glorious years) I had read a great book entitled "Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long Distance World Travel" by Rolf Potts. In it, he shared his views on travel preparedness and tips but also infused his worldviews. It captivated me, he spoke of things I had long felt but was unable to express. I<a href="http://www.brieaustin.com/2012/08/vagabonding-a-review/" target="_blank"> did express my views however in my review of it</a>.<br />
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It is this intoxicating sense of adventure that led me to plan the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/anexpatinindia/" target="_blank">motorcycle trip to the Himalayas</a> for September 2017 while I'm still physically able.<br />
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My introduction to true raw travel began with Kena, a Colombian photojournalist student I had met, who was studying in Buenos Aires. She changed my life in many ways. I went from being a tourist, well-traveled as I was, who went places to look at stuff, to becoming a traveler who went to places not to look but to see.<br />
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Once you see something, you can't un-see it. </div>
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Nothing would ever be the same. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/bruce.dugan/media_set?set=a.1739645876048865.1073741862.100000104096563&type=3" target="_blank">My first backpacking trip was with her to Salta, Argentina</a>, and the rest, as they say, is history.<br />
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How I met her, and my past before her is another story that I will leave for another time.<br />
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thoughtsofaceohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08525025438327231930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4242616941715124842.post-30355826690920403672017-05-27T04:49:00.002-07:002017-08-02T02:36:25.087-07:00The Southern India Motorcycle Tour Day #1 & #2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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As hot as Bangalore has been this summer, when you hit the road at 6:30 you need to at least have a sweatshirt. The planned route was Bangalore to Mysore (Mysuru), to Ooty through the Bandipur National Forest, then to Coimbatore, Munnar, Madurai, Rameshwaram, Puducherry, Vellore. and back to Bangalore Today was amazing!<br />
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<a name='more'></a>The ride to Mysore was uneventful; I've done it several times before. The only twist was that after passing a herd of goats, I noticed one way down the road on his own. So, like a cowboy on a steel horse, I used the bike to guide him back to the herd, exchanged waves with the goatherder, then continued on my way. <br />
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While in Mysore we did drive out to Sriangatapna, about 15 kilometres from Mysore. The walled city was the site of the Mysore wars where Tipu Sultan -- after many successful campaigns to repeal attacks, finally fell. <br />
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Later in the day we rode up Chamundi Hill to it's 3,400 foot summit. It's a nice ride, winding up the hill. On the summit is a temple and a small bazzar. Olaf again was fascinated with th monkeys.<br />
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However, while coming down the mountain the sky opened up and within 5 minutes I was soaked through and through. The rain felt like hail smacking our skin, and the winds howled as though God himself was having a temper tantrum. Gusts of wind would seep across the road with such veloocity that I watched motorbikes pushed several feet to the side in a moment. It was dark, raining sheets, cold, gusty and, with oncoming traffic, blinding from the headlights.<br />
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But, we survived it.<br />
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<b>DAY 2</b>: Of all the rides I've done in India thus far, Goa had been the best with forest roads and winding "S" curves through the mountains. Until today. We got a late start out of Mysore en route to Ooty. The early part of the ride was nothing to talk about, except that in sections the road turned to gravel and/or dirt. Not in a good or adventurous way.<br />
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But once we entered the Bandipur Natiuonal Wildlife Reserve [in the state of Karnataka] the real ride began. The roads are nicely black-topped, and other than constantly having to slow down for the speed bumps, it's a fun ride.<br />
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You'll see wildlife from time to time. Today we only saw deer and monkeys. Somewhere in the middle of the ride you cross state lines into Tamil Nadu.<br />
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Once you leave the national park, a few kilometres up the road you come to a small junction. There is a bridge to the left with a sign to Ooty. Following the advise of a friend (Karthik, thanks, it was amazing) we went straight, towards Gudalur. <br />
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What a ride. The road curved and swirved for hours, We entered a bamboo forest that made you feel like you were driving through a living cave. Then more mountain roads, more "z" and "S" and "hairpin" turns, then we rode through a forest of Eucalyptus trees 150 feet high. It was majical.<br />
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As we continued higher and higher, the temperature began to drop. Soon, high in the mountains, we emerged above the clouds and midst. It was beautiful and someewhat eerie. With each new turn there was a new view, a we zigzagged back and forth, up, always up.<br />
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As we passed some of the tea planations, the grey and gloomy fog and midst subsided, as if we had just left Dorthy's house in the middle of that cyclone and landed in a bright, sunny, and flowered Oz.<br />
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One of the segments of the ride I most looked forward to was Munnar, which is tomorrow. But for today, I'm fulfilled having had the best ride thus far during my five years here. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go to go to bed and collapse.<br />
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thoughtsofaceohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08525025438327231930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4242616941715124842.post-86451546428006332262017-05-27T03:07:00.001-07:002017-06-27T16:34:51.566-07:00Elephant Charges us en Route to Munnar <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The traffic was stopped, so I drove up the shoulder of the road around the cars (what is a motorcycle for after all?) only to spook a bull elephant who charged us, twice. We only caught footage of one. But note after how he peeks out from the bushes us eyeing us. <br />
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thoughtsofaceohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08525025438327231930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4242616941715124842.post-62891520278819296442017-05-27T03:04:00.001-07:002017-05-27T11:30:44.814-07:00Monkey Steals Olaf's Fruit<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
When we slowed dow for a check point, Olaf got off the bike to take photos of the monkeys on the roof of the truck ahead of us. As he did, one of them jumped on the bak seat of the morotcycle and swipped his bag of manderins<br />
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thoughtsofaceohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08525025438327231930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4242616941715124842.post-70503093348539363232017-05-27T02:58:00.002-07:002021-08-04T10:08:30.250-07:00Ride of Your Life - INTRO <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ymh3hpuDw48/YQrJf_S5QcI/AAAAAAAARjo/2Q7oSqd6FLoYgj-71eLkFsesIK1cc1w6ACLcBGAsYHQ/s574/Documentary%2Bcoming%2B.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="574" height="176" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ymh3hpuDw48/YQrJf_S5QcI/AAAAAAAARjo/2Q7oSqd6FLoYgj-71eLkFsesIK1cc1w6ACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Documentary%2Bcoming%2B.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">As some of you may know, we're planning to shoot a documentary of our August planned motorcycle adventure to Ladakh, 18,000 feet up into the Himalayas. Here is a short video intro.<br /><br />If you'd like to skip a cup of coffee and donate $2 or more to our cause, you can do so <a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/ride-of-your-life-a-documentary-india/x/15993075#/" target="_blank">HERE</a>. You can also find other raw video clips <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZJYPkvNKJlgAJvJWOaTnng" target="_blank">HERE</a> Follow in our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/Rideofyourlife/" target="_blank">Facebook Group </a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReW-qCDdEdA&list=PLObgv_vWLPXrn9XC1jh2jOQz_9vrsnSJJ" target="_blank">See the trailer here</a>. <br /><br /></div>
thoughtsofaceohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08525025438327231930noreply@blogger.com0Bengaluru, Karnataka, India12.9715987 77.59456269999998312.4764182 76.949115699999979 13.4667792 78.240009699999987tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4242616941715124842.post-83340482747781711232017-04-02T00:33:00.004-07:002017-04-02T00:33:45.040-07:00Summer Arrives with Another Oddity <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The weather throughout January and February was pretty nice, although in the closing weeks we got three rain storms. Usually we don't get any rain until Monsoon season that begins in July. Can anyone say Climate Change? Anyway few days ago I'm riding home on my motorcyle and I have to do a double take of what is before me. Keep in mind that I've seen some pretty whack-a-doo stuff since I've been in India<br />
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What I mean by whack-a-doo includes ows lounging in the middle of a 4 lane road in the middle of the city; people on motorcycles in a downpour -- this one with an umbrella in back; a cow resting on the hood of a car; a herd of goats - in the middle of town.<br />
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In a city where you often see 4 to bike, including wives, children and grandmothers, or just a group of friends, this sight made me scratch my head and think, "now there's soemthing you don't see everyday."<br />
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There were two guys and the one of on the back had two goats drapped across his lap. Yes, they were still living. Sorry I didn't catch a photo but I was riding. </div>
thoughtsofaceohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08525025438327231930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4242616941715124842.post-13003027330191483182017-02-06T04:59:00.000-08:002017-05-27T12:29:20.696-07:00Experience India - A Web Series <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Yes, we're going to launch a travel-adventure web series and we want you to participate for as little as $2 a month. Friends see me traveling around the world and tell me "Your life is like a movie," so we decided to turn it into one. I've been a vagabonder since 2014 when I met and befriended a Colombian photojournalist. She'd been traveling solo -- or rather backpacking (they're different things I was to discover) -- since the age of sixteen. When she and I traveled to northern Argentina, we traveled by bus, hitchhiked, and walked. It was amazing.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>I've been in India now for four years and traveled a bit. I've seen some very cool places, and had some fun adventures, some of which I've posted photos of and talked about here. We've traveled through mountain and forest roads to Goa from Bangalore, been to the mountains of Munnar, the ruins of Hampi, (<a href="https://plus.google.com/collection/0AGgaB">You can click on my profile and check out the Collections</a>). Ooty, Gudalur and more -- we eevn got charged by a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmbkt8y31yI" target="_blank">bull elephant!</a><br />
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Now we're going to get more serious about it.<br />
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In 2015 I met Jordan, just by chance while he and friends were having coffee at my daily lunch spot. I felt inclined to play host to my American countrymen while they were in town, and arranged to take them by <a href="http://india-reflections.blogspot.in/2012/11/the-road-to-mysore.html" target="_blank">motorcycle to Mysore</a>. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrwP1IA0eMc" target="_blank">Jordan filmed the excursion</a>.<br />
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I've since taken many trips around India, from ocean to mountains, waterfalls to tours of palaces and temples. History is dripping here.<br />
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February 27th I turn 60 years old. So this year I wanted a life challenge, and found it. In August I and my merry band of friends will ride to Dehli by motorcycle, and then endure a week's long ride to the highest and most dangerous road on the planet -- the roof of the world in the Himalayas.<br />
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Here are some photos of the area, a ride that draws bikers from around the world to pilgrimage the enduring ride to Khardung La / Ladakh. It is only reachable three months a year, as the roads are impassable the rest of the year due to snow. <br />
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This will be part documentary, part reality show, part history and culture, and part journalism log. In short, it will be fantastic, and you can vicariously tag along.<br />
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We're asking anyone that loves adventure, challenge, and living life to its fullest to become a patron of our web series for as little as $2 a month. Forgo that next cup of coffee! Come on, do it.<br />
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Don't you want to see if a 60 year old can endure the challenge of body, mind, and spirit to triumph over the elements? Sure you do.<br />
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thoughtsofaceohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08525025438327231930noreply@blogger.com0Ladakh Range, 19420134 788.4779655 36.691406 59.522034500000004 119.308594tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4242616941715124842.post-57065050950031797012016-03-06T05:02:00.000-08:002017-02-14T23:56:30.723-08:00The Space Between<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It’s been a while since I posted my adventures in India. So I thought I’d share a lovely experience I had today. It was the most contradictory thing I've experienced thus far.<br />
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The streets were quiet as I traveled from Paldi Cross, through Ellisbridge en route to the Himalaya Mall. Tranquil even. The heat of summer floated on a soft breeze generated by the auto-rick ( a 3-wheeler with a roof and no sides) I was traveling in.<br />
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There were very few cars on the road; a motorcycle calmly passed by us, an elegant woman in a vivid<br />
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colored sari perched side-saddle on back; a man leisurely pushed a vendor cart along the side of the road, while another man on a bicycle peddled around him.<br />
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There were no sounds; most of the shops were closed. It was Sunday. <br />
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The whole scene was something that Norman Rockwell would have painted – if he painted about Indian culture. But this wasn’t typical Indian culture as I’ve come to know it during my three years living in Bangalore. Or for that matter,nothing was a still in any of the places I’ve visited in India – <a href="https://www.facebook.com/bruce.dugan/media_set?set=a.523279417685523.140483.100000104096563&type=3" target="_blank">Hampi</a>, Pondicherry, Madurai, Kerala -- <a href="https://www.facebook.com/bruce.dugan/media_set?set=a.567643366582461.149107.100000104096563&type=3" target="_blank">Cochin and Moonaar</a>, Delhi, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/bruce.dugan/media_set?set=a.1161146947232097.1073741840.100000104096563&type=3" target="_blank">Jaipur</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/bruce.dugan/media_set?set=a.1162266800453445.1073741841.100000104096563&type=3" target="_blank">Udipur</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/bruce.dugan/media_set?set=a.575052369174894.150113.100000104096563&type=3" target="_blank">Mysore</a> and others. Not even <a href="https://www.facebook.com/bruce.dugan/media_set?set=a.1209413782405413.100000104096563&type=3" target="_blank">Goa</a> was a peaceful as this day, at this moment. Perhaps when I <a href="https://www.facebook.com/brie.austin/media_set?set=a.10152392483740133.943572.596895132&type=3" target="_blank">was in the jungle</a> it was this peaceful, but that was a few years ago so hard to compare. The only place I an recall giving me that sense of tranquility was <a href="https://www.facebook.com/brie.austin/media_set?set=a.246628590132.292225.596895132&type=3" target="_blank">Cafayate Argentina</a>. <br />
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Like days of old, time had slowed. The mind and body had time to absorb the world around them, uninterrupted by sounds and turbulence. <br />
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It reminded me of my youth, growing up in the suburbs of Brooklyn, New York. Our tree-lined street in the Midwood section of town was quiet like that, especially on Sunday, during an era when the shops there were closed too. So quiet was it on these days you’d never know you were in the heart of one of the most vibrant cities of the world: New York City.<br />
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The heat today was that urban heat kind of heat you’d find in New York City in June. But I was a long way from New York City. Ahmedabad is in the state of Gujarat located in the northwestern part of India. <br />
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What struck me first, I soon realized, was that there was no driving chaos. In fact, for a city that drives more chaotic <a href="http://india-reflections.blogspot.com/2014/06/driving-rules-well-more-like-guidelines.html" target="_blank">than driving in Bangalore</a>, it was alien to sit there and see people stopping at traffic signals, not weaving and trying to pass each other to gain a 5-meter advantage. There were no dog packs barking -- perhaps even they enjoyed slumbering on this Sunday. But most amazingly was that I hadn’t heard a horn in almost 10 minutes. That is not something most in India can claim experiencing. <br />
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Nothing lasts forever, and so was the case today as we traveled closer to the mall. It all seemed to change at one intersection: suddenly all vehicles from all directions were pushing their way through, horns were blaring, and the world returned to normal.<br />
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But, if only for ten minutes I was given a break from the madness of the world, and enjoyed it immensely. <br />
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thoughtsofaceohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08525025438327231930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4242616941715124842.post-78141284892669141372015-12-04T05:04:00.000-08:002017-02-14T23:57:01.587-08:00Motorcycle Adventure to Palolem <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Combining a motorcycle ride to Palolem Beach, Goa India with a week stay on the beach was exhilarating and relaxing, and proved that these old bones have a lot of mileage left in them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">At 6am the city of Bangalore India is still quiet and sleepy -- all except for the dogs that bark incessantly; they never seem to sleep. The air was crisp, and with our backpacks strapped on we boarded our motorcycles and set out to beat the soon-to-emerge morning rush hour. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By the time the locals were up and scurrying to work, and <a href="http://india-reflections.blogspot.in/2014/06/driving-rules-well-more-like-guidelines.html" target="_blank">filling the streets with their chaotic driving</a>,</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M9euzXZGTPE/Vn519F4sr1I/AAAAAAAACMo/Z_HuFQUNKQQ/s1600/goa2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M9euzXZGTPE/Vn519F4sr1I/AAAAAAAACMo/Z_HuFQUNKQQ/s320/goa2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
we were well outside the city -- streaking west on highway AH43 at 100 kph.<br />
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With 400 highway kilometers ahead of us, and no traffic to speak of, all we could do was sit, and wait -- periodically passing one another to take up the lead to abate the boredom of highway travel. <br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">That same boredom did not exist on the same stretch of the highway on the way back (seven days later) however. With lots of cars, trucks and buses bustling between lanes, we were like players of the game Frogger -- as we’d dodge around the slow-moving vehicles that were traveling at 50-70 kph -- to be found in either lane --, while doing our best not to get run over by the cars that would suddenly appear -- seemingly out of nowhere -- baring down on us as they raced past at 140 -- horns blaring and high beams all but blinding us from behind. </span><br />
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With the morning sun rising behind us as we continued west, two 30 minute breaks come and gone, we turned off the highway onto a single lane road. Like cowboys on motorized horseback our three bikes thundered through roadside villages. Little kids hearing our approach gathered to stare, wave and cheer to strangers who came from from somewhere beyond the edge of their universe. And with a roar we were gone as fast as we arrived. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After leaving yet another village the road led us into a two hour-long ride through a forest; single lane, where we encountered no more than fours cars the entire time. It was an adventure, peaceful and energizing. The trees keep the air cool, and my new helmet with it’s built-in sun visor [that I moved down over my eyes] proved most helpful as the sun was now easing in front of us in the afternoon sky, tossing sun rays at our eyes like arrows that we had to defect. We thundered ahead, like road warriors on a quest. </span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qLNcPLvrPVw/Vn526R92iCI/AAAAAAAACM0/Tu8H_Wks-pQ/s1600/goa3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qLNcPLvrPVw/Vn526R92iCI/AAAAAAAACM0/Tu8H_Wks-pQ/s320/goa3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If the forest road was exciting and peaceful, the mountain roads we traversed next were dangerous but exhilarating. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We raced through one “S” curve after another with no end in sight. Up the one side, down the next it continued for another two hours, Then we felt the air begin to heat up and I knew the beach was not too terrible far off. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At 80-100 kms we raced on, but always vigilant: you never knew when you’d come out of a turn and be faced with a meandering cow (or many), or an oncoming car, truck or bus headed towards us as they passed slower-moving vehicles. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On a separate trip to Om Beach [in Golkarna] with Rajeev by car, we traveled through a mountain road where five cows lingered -- one laying in the middle, the others standing about --, who didn’t give us a second thought: they simply refused to move despite him leaning on the horn. In fact, at one point the sitting cow looked back at us, then away as if to say “go fuck yourself, I was here first!” </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As for those oncoming vehicles, I’ve long come to understand a basic driving rule in India: he who gets there first has the right of way. Once a vehicle commits to pass, it doesn’t matter that they’re in your lane. They got there first, and the oncoming traffic beware: move or get leveled!</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wPEd8KPT5LQ/Vn54JABAVtI/AAAAAAAACNA/UrhEf2VkRio/s1600/goa4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wPEd8KPT5LQ/Vn54JABAVtI/AAAAAAAACNA/UrhEf2VkRio/s320/goa4.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the United States multiple motorcycles traveling together will usually travel side-by-side, moving in</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"> tandem; for example, when passing, the motorcycle closest to the passing lane would lead, the other would follow, and then re-position themselves again side by side.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Though the guys I ride with here in India will from time to time ride side by side on the highway, they don’t seem to be familiar with the concept of how to move in tandem; on the country roads it’s all for the best anyway, as we’ve many times been driven to the shoulder of road by oncoming vehicles. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fortunately, on this trip that was rarely the case, Instead, it was the cars going in our direction that would continuously race with us -- passing us in any straight stretch they could find --, only to have us speed past them as soon as they got jammed behind the next slow moving vehicle ahead. </span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5l5dIu6Acks/Vn54kjoooiI/AAAAAAAACNI/e8BwKLrHnSk/s1600/goa5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5l5dIu6Acks/Vn54kjoooiI/AAAAAAAACNI/e8BwKLrHnSk/s200/goa5.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Royal Enfield Thunderbirds (known as “bullets”) that Kiran and I drove were made for this type of riding; their engines torqued for mountain roads; the Duke that Nihanth was riding, with it’s off-road frame was equally up to the task as he navigated through the turns effortlessly and as smooth as the bounding of a gazelle. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For a foreigner, traveling the back roads of India is equally enjoyable and educational. As you make your way through villages you experience a place that time forgot; people going about their rural lives as though it was still the early 1900s, or for that matter, the 1800s --, with pushcarts or ox (or horse) pulled carts full of flowers, fresh vegetables or farm gear. The only visible signs that they were connected to the modern world is small scooters and motorcycles, and cell phones: it seems everyone has a cell phone. On one country road we passed a monastery (grand and impressive). At the gate was two Buddhist monks in full robes, on a scooter. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We pressed on, eventually exiting the mountain roads as we passed a commercial seaport, the smell of fish ever present in the air. Another 30 kms on small roads and we saw the sign: Palolem Beach. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is a little town there with local food, pharmacy and incidental shops, none of which suggested </span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P81jP9KkZyw/Vn5-FxpZG-I/AAAAAAAACNg/BdZa2DZs3fo/s1600/goa8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P81jP9KkZyw/Vn5-FxpZG-I/AAAAAAAACNg/BdZa2DZs3fo/s1600/goa8.jpg" /></a></div>
to us that we were at the beach. But as we turned into the beach hut resort we’d be staying at, the sight of the surf and sand were inviting.<br />
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<a href="http://beingexpat.com/blogs/palolem-beach-in-goa-india" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Palolem Beach experience </span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">was everything I had hoped for: quiet, spacious and comfortable. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After a few days of sun, surf and Margarita’s, we were restless and decided to explore Agonda Beach just 10 kms north. Dressed in shorts and T-shirts for the short ride we were met with yet another fabulous day: plenty of sunshine and moderate temperatures. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then, quite spontaneously our adventurism kicked into higher gear and we turned northeast as we decided to ride 60 kms to the </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/bruce.dugan/media_set?set=a.1209445322402259.1073741849.100000104096563&type=3" target="_blank">Dudhsagar Falls </a>instead.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OnRj07qU4fs/Vn58j_kNdUI/AAAAAAAACNU/bf61ILu-zTo/s1600/goa6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OnRj07qU4fs/Vn58j_kNdUI/AAAAAAAACNU/bf61ILu-zTo/s1600/goa6.jpg" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For motorcycle enthusiasts this too was a great ride; again winding country roads that went through a few villages, and again “S” curved hilly roads. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The closest town is 10 kms from the falls, and as we then learned -- to our disappointment -- you couldn’t actually ride to the falls, or so we were told. There is a 4x4 jeep service that will take you the 45 minutes up the mountain for about Rs. 500 per head (it holds seven people), plus a mandatory Rs. 30 for a life jacket.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But we were road warriors; so we streaked past those telling us “you can’t go there” up a dirt road. We came face to face with a section of the road submerged in about 3 feet (1 meter) or so of water. We watched as a few jeeps were traversing through it on their way back down. Were the bikes high enough to wade through? We weren’t sure; the Duke would make it for sure, but my Thunderbird Bullet, which sat lower than Kiran’s was a question. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After a few minutes contemplation I decided not to try. The trip had been great thus far, so why push the matter. Kiran really wanted to see the falls, so we opted for the jeep trip. With he in the first seat and Nihanth and I in the rear two bench seats we ploughed through the water onto the roughest, rockiest dirt road you can imagine -- as if the rocks were actually placed by a sadist with the intent to jostle your insides into nothingness. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I cursed him every bump, “Agh” I’d grunt with every bump. Finally the jeep stopped, Kiran got out and insisted that I take his place up front. It was noticeably better, but not enough that I didn’t continue to curse him under my breath for the next 40 minutes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">As it turned out, had we pushed ahead on motorcycles we would have only gotten about 15 minutes</span><br />
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ahead until reaching a guard gate, which would have turned us away anyway. So the jeep was at least the right choice.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">At our destination we exited the vehicles and began a short trek through a mountain trail that ended at the base of the falls. There was a large natural pool at its base, which after the rough ride was inviting. We dove in, and the cool mountain water was refreshing to the point it was “maybe” worth the trip. Wild monkeys provided entertainment as we watched them sprinting about the trails and trees. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Two days later we checked out of our beach hut and began the long ride home. It was only an hour into the ride that we were once again in the “S” curves headed up the mountain road, which was packed with cars and trucks. Nihanth and I in single file sweep around the right to pass, first one, then the other, swoosh, swoosh, then swung left back into the lane and immediately had to bank right into a right curve. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Without warning my </span><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">rear tire slipped out to the left from under me, sending me and the bike and flying: we both skidded about 20 </span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;">meters</span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (60 feet). I'm still not sure if it was due to a wet or oil spot in the road. I didn't have to think about as I heard my helmet Bang! the road. For the first time in three years I was grateful to have been wearing a sturdy helmet or my brains would have painted the ground. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How the car behind me (we were moving at 80 kph) didn’t hit me is still unclear, though I am grateful with no explanation required. I was a bit stunned, dazed, as I lay on the side of the road. I think what held my mind momentarily captive was that nothing on my body seemed to be damaged. I got a scrape on my left shoulder, and another on my right knee -- even though the shirt nor pants ripped. My right ankle got twisted, but from all my athletic injuries through the years I could tell right away that nothing was broken; no muscles, ligaments nor tendons were ripped. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I looked at my bullet lying on its side like a wounded animal, and merely asked Kiran -- who was hovering over me asking if I was alright -- to “pick up the bike, will ya?”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The bullet righted, and me on my feet, I mounted it and we were off again. My right ankle pained, no doubt less so because I had been wearing riding boots, but made using the foot brake difficult nonetheless. But we still had 11 hours of riding ahead of us, so I endured. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We’ve been home now for week and I was pleasantly surprised that this old body held up; no after effects. So, next week we’re planning to do it all again, only this time no beach time, just moving from place to place. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ll let you know how it goes. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/bruce.dugan/photos_albums" target="_blank">See more India travel photos here</a></span></div>
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thoughtsofaceohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08525025438327231930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4242616941715124842.post-79097591331793173962015-11-06T05:08:00.000-08:002017-02-14T23:55:41.906-08:00To The Falls on Two Wheels <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SuI8TAexRxE/V8vyvDEm2kI/AAAAAAAACUg/dSpVOAN8-qUjA8vPRhyc4ZbBUUeUr6LvgCLcB/s1600/falls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SuI8TAexRxE/V8vyvDEm2kI/AAAAAAAACUg/dSpVOAN8-qUjA8vPRhyc4ZbBUUeUr6LvgCLcB/s400/falls.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our little adventure began at 5:00AM – then again, waking up at 5:00 AM was more of a nightmare for me than an adventure, and we had a 3 hour drive ahead of us. I had only fallen asleep at 4:30 AM. But I awoke, bathed, got dressed and met with others from our small motorcycle group out in front of the house. Rajeev emerged from the house last, big surprise, and we left by 6:00 AM. </span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-325882d8-6360-b180-b615-1846d8cf4d0b" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We followed Rajeev-- the Kamikaze biker -- as we snaked our way through the back streets, shooting between and around the few cars and trucks we encountered, en route to the prearranged spot on Kanakputra Road where we would meet up with Kiran and Nishanth.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">The road, like many in India, became sort of a country highway that wound through small villages and then opened up into long stretches of semi-empty 4-lane blacktop – well, sem-cement-top anyway -- with patches of broken road. Of course it </span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; white-space: pre-wrap;">wasn't</span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;"> the broken road or occasional speed bumps that caused a high-speed rider concern as much as it was bearing down on an Oxcart .. or oncoming bus in your lane. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iwLefPsRf3o/V8vzMFh1uLI/AAAAAAAACUk/BhldiTg8vZQ7eaA_LVgC4TvwgVLdZjuLwCLcB/s1600/shiv2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iwLefPsRf3o/V8vzMFh1uLI/AAAAAAAACUk/BhldiTg8vZQ7eaA_LVgC4TvwgVLdZjuLwCLcB/s320/shiv2.jpg" width="180" /></a></span></div>
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more often at 80 – 100 Kilometers an hour most of the way; though I was able to take it all in and enjoy the scenery nonetheless. And the high speeds were exhilarating; I could feel my stress of the past weeks being stripped way kilometer after kilometer. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I had talked about </span><a href="http://india-reflections.blogspot.in/2012/08/driving-in-bangalore.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">driving in Bangalore</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> before, and oncoming traffic is common place here, so after a while it becomes second-nature to navigate. But the first few times you see a bus passing another bus -- or row of cars -- coming straight at you head on in your lane, it’s a bit unnerving: in one instance I resorted into riding the unpaved shoulder-of-the-road at 80 KPH until it passed. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And while the death-defying style of the ride was similar to the </span><a href="http://india-reflections.blogspot.in/2012/11/the-road-to-mysore.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mysore trip</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, at least today we did it without rain!</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By 7:30 we stopped for a breakfast at what Rajeev referred to as the “best Masala Dosa” place to be found.That stretch of the road was dense with congested traffic, so it was nice to take a break.</span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vqZnnmwgDdo/V8v0bT6hRFI/AAAAAAAACU0/9IpeEAB_swgtg-JikIxv75OvXSo-IWdiACLcB/s1600/shiv4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vqZnnmwgDdo/V8v0bT6hRFI/AAAAAAAACU0/9IpeEAB_swgtg-JikIxv75OvXSo-IWdiACLcB/s320/shiv4.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A few hours later the scenery changed as the road climbed in altitude and we could smell the moisture of falls in the air. The roads leading into the area however wasn't so refreshing. It was heavily rutted, mostly dirt, where we had to dodge potholes that could consume whole villages, or so it seemed. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And, we also had to avoid hitting animals from the wandering herds being led along the road that they sensed they owned. Well, they sort of did own the roads: who was going to tell them otherwise as they filled it side to side. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We had to drive slow, navigate between them without getting them excited, only to then speed away and have to brake for yet another herd shortly thereafter. </span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When we finally arrived, the Shivansamudra Falls were majestic at first site. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They were also misleading: while they were wide with multiple falls, they seemed lower in height than they really were -- from our viewing point, directly across from the top. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">We hung at the summit observation area, where – like all the other tourists – we snapped a bunch of </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">photos as we recovered from the long 3 hour drive, stretched our legs, and relaxed. </span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3g7SioNVSPU/V8v0HGBW4rI/AAAAAAAACUw/bzP-NZo4SpUDgJBW9QDgWJwjYwpV5uJuACLcB/s1600/Shiv7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3g7SioNVSPU/V8v0HGBW4rI/AAAAAAAACUw/bzP-NZo4SpUDgJBW9QDgWJwjYwpV5uJuACLcB/s320/Shiv7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then we began our <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NwNE9m9e9hU/V8v0EYHqHsI/AAAAAAAACUs/Z0waWGLuGNwmxCNgKMZ2f5wv25O_0B5gQCEw/h120/Shiv6.jpg" target="_blank">descent down</a> the many stone steps that led to the bottom and the river’s edge. With each step down I was already dreading the climb back up. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The mist coming off the falls was delightful, refreshing, while the deafening sound was a reminder of the power called nature. We loitered around the river at the base of the falls.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">A few of the guys decided to get their feet wet, then Kiran decides to go </span><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BZjwQ-sBpWA/V8v1D_6_jlI/AAAAAAAACU4/tAK6MrdoYVYYX3JknuRyyeOmj5_kB2r9ACEw/h120/Shiv8.jpg" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">all the way</a><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">! </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When the ranger came and told us to clear out, it was because the water level was rising fast he said; "the area would soon be flooded". </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I envisioned some wall of water streaking towards at that very moment. But the reality was that “soon” meant many hours. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nonetheless, we hiked back up the long set of steep stone steps. The words of Anshu still clear in my memory -- “You’re old, like ancient!” -- as I scaled the steps with ease to my surprise. Anshu was panting like he's just hiked the Himalayas when he finally reached the top, the last to arrive. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There was a nice sun shining, so we sat for a while and enjoyed the nature and the quiet. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We snacked on watermelon and cucumbers that we bought from vendors near the exit. Then, bikes revved, we headed out ... we thought. Only a few hundred meters down the road Rajeev’s bike stalled: it seems that someone emptied his fuel tank while it was parked. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With four kilometers of dirt and potholed road to travel to reach the nearest petrol station, all we could do was push. So I did; I extended one foot to his back foot place, and we rode side by side with my bike propelling his -- which Nishanth filmed unknowingly to us. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the village of Sattega we stopped at Rajeev’s granddad’s home. The vilalge in on land owned by the family, and Rajeev's dad has watched over it for decades. No one lived in the family home there any longer, but the house was preserved and cared for. There were rooms filled with family photos in a testament to the lives of those that passed through these doors. It was nice to see a legacy preserved in this way. </span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We relaxed in the great room, where in its day the center sunken area would have been filled with </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;"> water. Anshu was all but snoozing in a chair; it seems age and energy don’t always go hand in hand.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Next we stopped in at the village temple (a Lord Krishna Temple) that was over a thousand years old! </span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vd_suEHZ3Ow/V8v3B-KqMBI/AAAAAAAACVE/df7S2_DF5swdPKMTcOFWlSX9B1LfDG1SACLcB/s1600/shiv9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vd_suEHZ3Ow/V8v3B-KqMBI/AAAAAAAACVE/df7S2_DF5swdPKMTcOFWlSX9B1LfDG1SACLcB/s640/shiv9.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">The ride back was high-paced, and Anshu -- during many stretches -- led the charge at 80- 100+ kilometers an hour, with each of the other bikes, in turn, taking the lead in a shuffle and reshuffle game of follow the leader. </span><b style="font-weight: normal;"></b><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eM8YiFsYA74/V8v3bz_kM2I/AAAAAAAACVI/q0oSrsw88V4q7375_1X7LQUi2S_EpUGTQCLcB/s1600/shiv1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eM8YiFsYA74/V8v3bz_kM2I/AAAAAAAACVI/q0oSrsw88V4q7375_1X7LQUi2S_EpUGTQCLcB/s640/shiv1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> We all arrived home in one piece, so it was another great trip. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.437724776285457.98241.250370531687550&type=3&uploaded=1" target="_blank">See all the photos here</a> </span></div>
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thoughtsofaceohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08525025438327231930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4242616941715124842.post-21550438534019362712014-02-06T05:10:00.000-08:002017-02-14T23:56:12.721-08:00Mysore on Two Wheels<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I felt tense; my mind racing, my adrenaline flowing. I was being assaulted by the rain as we streaked along the Bangalore-Mysore Highway at speeds up to 100-120 kilometers an hour, swerving in and out of traffic. Our three motorcycles in a row (with two riders each), only feet apart, trailed the vehicles before us waiting for a crack of opportunity. Then without warning, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, one closely followed by the other shot through the sliver of opening as we raced towards Mysore. Had I lost my mind? Welcome to yet another India experience.<br />
<a name='more'></a>We left Bangalore in the early afternoon for what have should have been a leisurely three hour ride to Mysore; reminds me of Gilligan, the Skipper and guests out for a three-hour cruise.<br />
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This was to be my first trip outside of Bangalore; I bought my Yamaha motorcycle for the trip only the night before<br />
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The traffic in south Bangalore was without reason; a chaotic free-for-all. With Rajeev driving my bike, me on back, we weaved, jerked, turned and shot between vehicles working our way out of the city traffic headed for the Bangalore-Mysore
highway. The small side streets were interwoven like a maze; there were small shops, a clutter of vendors selling things from carts, the smell of spice in the air, and an energy I can't quite explain. And though it wasn't pretty -- the roads were very dusty, like a 1800s town in an old western movie --, but it was authentic. At least it seemed that way to me; as if the bustle on the street had been buzzing like this for a century, with the cars, scooters, motorcycles and modernity simply a new addition without altering the day-to-day culture.<br />
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South Bangalore</div>
Only an hour up the highway the rain was intermittent, torrential at times, though we unlike the Skipper and crew we didn't get knocked off course. We were, however, forced to stop and wait it out -- twice, each time for about an hour. Together with all the cigarette smoking stops, night was fast-approaching so we decided to push on, rain or not.<br />
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We periodically switched drivers and bikes, and I was again back in control of my Yamaha. The 6-8 lane highway would often be reduced to a two or four lane road with light after traffic light, or worse, speed bumps that were neither colored nor marked, as we approached roadside towns. Worse than that was on the highway itself where we would be flying along at 100 and then bear down on one of these speed bumps, or worse, a slow-moving ox-cart with no reflectors, wandering cows or herds of goats. Oh yeah, it was just like that!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Same Mysore Ride Different Day WITHOUT Rain</td></tr>
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The rain was only teeming as we entered yet another small town, but traffic on the four-lane had turned into a parking lot due to the preceding flooding the rain had caused. We moved at a snails pace, trying to avoid stopping and having to put a foot down into the pond-like road we were traveling through. I wasn't even sure that the engines would keep humming at some points were the water was highest.<br />
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When I spotted a make-shift sidewalk I pulled up onto it and began making better time. I quickly caught and passed the two bikes that were previously way ahead of me (they drive like lunatics, so I was way behind them on the highway). <br />
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We were all soaked thoroughly. A chill was taking root in my bones. The other two bikes saw me and quickly followed as we worked our way passed the traffic jam, left the town limits and were flying again. <br />
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It was somewhere in the forth hour, still 40 kilometers from our destination, night set upon us, that the rain mercilessly hit us again; we pushed on.<br />
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It had dawned on me -- more than once that day -- that I had lost my mind; I was for a time sitting on the back of a motorcycle, helmet-less (only the driver wears a helmet in India) traveling at 100-120 kilometers an hour through traffic. I'm not ashamed to say my heart had all but bored a hole in my chest cavity from the intense and accelerated beating. <br />
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Later at the fuel stop it was discovered that my key was missing; we couldn't unlock the fuel cap; Rajeev and I spent the entire next morning -- on a Sunday -- which we actually found, and the cost was only $10.<br />
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After we met up with a friend, Kiran, and headed to the Sweet Palace for breakfast. If you get up here, stop by, great place.<br />
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The Shardha Resort grounds that we stopped at that afternoon provided a wide-variety of family fun: families were relaxing in the picnic area, with exotic and non birds wandering about. The resort also had in-door and outdoor restaurants, a bar wrapped around a tree; a billiards room, volleyball, tennis, basket ball, football (soccer), a swimming pool, a small boat pool, ping-pong and more. After a drink to get out of the hot sun, it was time to push off for the Mysore Palace: a big tourist attraction.<br />
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The weather was still being stubborn though as the rain came again and we raced back to the house, where we were holed up for four or five hours.<br />
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That night we went for dinner, and then on to <a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=422095091181759&set=a.422094484515153.93956.250370531687550&type=3&theater" target="_blank">Planet X</a>; an entertainment venue -- billiards, go-cart racing, video-game arcade, hookah bar, restaurants, and bar/lounge. Hey, I was with a group of twenty-somethings, so this place was high on their list of places to go. We hung out, played billiards and then after drinks and smokes outside (I was able to buy a Dominican cigar for 800 rupees -- $16 --; the onlookers after hearing the cost when I inquired, were shocked when I bought one) planned to leave.<br />
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Well, until the keys one of the other bikes were missing. Took us an hour, but we found them, and averted another min-disaster. As we drove the thirty minutes back to the house we went through a little village called Metagalli, where I now realized was my first experience smelling the real India: it was so powerful with the smell of spices. <br />
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Because the guys had a midnight urge to pack and hit the road back to Bangalore, I didn't get to see much of Mysore; I only saw <a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=422095067848428&set=a.422094484515153.93956.250370531687550&type=3&theater" target="_blank">the palace</a> at night on the way back to the house. But when we traveled through another small town called, Metagalli, I now realized it was my first experience smelling the real India: it was so powerful with the smell of spices.<br />
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Like I have written about before, it is the journey that is the experience, not the destination(s). And thus far, I have experiences galore. <br />
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The highway driving back was wide-open. We left the house in Mysore at about 2:am, and raced back at 100 kilometers an hour without any rain. We arrived in Bangalore about 5:AM, just in time to stop for a morning tea. <br />
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Moreover, the intense ride to Mysore seemed to have desensitize me; from time to time on the way back I'd switch and let Rajeev drive as I sat on back. And even without a helmet my heart-rate was constant; I was no longer nervous. Regardless of my apparent stupidity riding at those speeds without a helmet, I was nonetheless relaxed, as if I was sitting on the couch on my terrace. <br />
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<a href="http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.422094484515153.93956.250370531687550&type=3" target="_blank">More photos here</a><br />
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Mysore, Planet X
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11/23/12, 12:22 PM
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Mysore, Karnataka, India
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thoughtsofaceohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08525025438327231930noreply@blogger.com0Mysuru, Karnataka 570001, India12.2958104 76.63938050000001612.1717019 76.478019000000018 12.4199189 76.800742000000014tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4242616941715124842.post-56429773576582892562013-09-06T05:06:00.000-07:002019-05-14T12:28:46.100-07:00Vagabonding - Rule #1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I had no expectations of India. But I did have an agenda, and most importantly in doing so, forgot the first rule of travel: never set a firm agenda. From the moment I landed I was counting the days until I would depart. That was my first error. <br />
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My arrival here was always centered around work; to draft an outline for a project I'd conceived, and present it to my friend's tech team in Bangalore. After a month of relaying my thoughts to them, answering questions, I had expected we could finalize a blueprint and I could depart on a three-month travel while they were coding; Thailand was on my short-list. </div>
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<b>Error two: don't have expectations when traveling</b>. During that first month I devoured the newspaper each day, as if trying to inhale the mentality and heartbeat of the country before leaving for Thailand. </div>
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It was daunting, really, as they're are many states here; over a billion people; 88 native languages; 200 dialects, and over 3 million Gods. It was an overwhelming assault on the senses. Yet the mix of its ancient traditions in a modernized city in expansion, well, made for an intoxicating elixir. </div>
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The first day I arrived at my hotel I thought "I don't know that I will like this." It seemed down-trodden to me; dusty and dirty. In a way like an old wild-west border town. </div>
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By the third month however, I had fallen into a daily routine: I'd wake up each day and start the day by going </div>
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through the marketplace in my neighborhood to get the paper, and found myself energized and inspired by the activity and strangeness of it all. <br />
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I reminded myself after the initial culture shock that to know a place you have to live there and absorb it organically; interact with the merchants, do regular local things, like laundry and such. </div>
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You can't simply view it and move on; I had momentarily become a tourist: looking without seeing, being without evolving. Then I returned to my Vagabond traveler sensibility: just be and become a part of where ever you are, without opinion or pretense. </div>
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My project development had stalled as the company here kept delaying me, when all of a sudden -- absent an agenda -- serendipity stepped in. I befriended some locals. We took some motorcycle trips; they took me out and showed me the nightlife. We'd become friends. </div>
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Moreover, as would turn out, they were software engineers. In that moment I decided to settle into an apartment and started a business operation with these young kids I hardly knew. </div>
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It's been a year now and we've secured 3,000 square feet of office space with our team of 17, with plans to expand rapidly along with our expanding client base. Moreover, our in-house project list has a Google-esque model for a suite of interactive frameworks and components. </div>
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Thailand will be there when I get around to getting there, but right I'm in India, and will experience this for the foreseeable future. </div>
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Hopefully I can leave a legacy here with the young team I'm building, and then ... well, that is yet to be seen. </div>
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I've remembered and clearly understand Rule 1 -- don't plan, just make choices based on the options that present themselves. </div>
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thoughtsofaceohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08525025438327231930noreply@blogger.com0Bengaluru, Karnataka, India12.9715987 77.59456269999998312.4764182 76.949115699999979 13.4667792 78.240009699999987tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4242616941715124842.post-66515584172945048982013-02-06T05:16:00.000-08:002017-04-08T01:44:53.013-07:00Driving in India, well, sort of <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="text-align: left;">In a country where they went from virtually no cars to more cars and bikes than the road infrastructure can handle, it happened so fast that they never really incorporated a general driving protocol.</span></div>
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<a name='more'></a>So while a cop will stop you if a motorcycle 'driver' is not wearing a helmet, it's ok to have 4 on a bike with no one else wearing one; in fact it is common place to see an entire family -- father, mother and several kids -- all jammed on a scooter. <br />
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Weaving in and out of traffic doesn't get a second look either, nor does speeding: I've buzzed by many a motorcycle cop without them caring.<br />
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There are really only rules when driving a motorcycle here: don't get caught without a helmet, and try your best not to get killed by a driver doing something stupid, and stupid drivers doing stupid things are everywhere. What do I consider stupid? Stopping in the middle of a four lane road because the driver sees a friend and wants to chat; diagonally crossing the road while driving against traffic; making a K turn in the middle of a busy intersection, for example. Its semi-organized chaos driving here, which I why I love it so -- after all, crazy is right in my comfort zone.<br />
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I spoke about <a href="http://india-reflections.blogspot.in/2012/08/driving-in-bangalore.html">driving in Bangalore</a> before, but now having been here for two years I've come to understand the flow of madness a little better. The trick is to never stop: you have to move and merge. If you come to a corner and stop, finding an opening to get going again is a huge task, Instead, you slow down as you approach an intersection, assess the spacing and speed of those in the cross road and just merge in.<br />
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There is basically no 'right of way' rules here, so as you're traveling a main thoroughfare you can't assume an approaching vehicle on a side-road will stop; if they feel they are going to hit the intersection first they'll just keep going. <br />
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Secondly, you have to always be alert on city and country roads alike for oncoming vehicles, especially buses; they will come head-on at you in YOUR LANE as though they have a right to be there. Rickshaws and motorcycles will cut across in the wrong direction WITH THEIR LIGHTS OFF! Suddenly you feel the wind of someone who just cut in front of you and realize it was vehicle you never saw. <br />
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Welcome to driving in Bangalore, India<br />
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thoughtsofaceohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08525025438327231930noreply@blogger.com0Bengaluru, Karnataka, India12.9715987 77.59456269999998312.4764182 76.949115699999979 13.4667792 78.240009699999987