Delhi to Kasol, Himachal Pradesh -Road Trip

Fully utilising the long weekend which came around the 2nd of Oct, I and my friends planned a trip out to the mountains! The destinition was a small little town of Kasol which lies en route to the popular hill station of Kulu and Manali in Himachal Pradesh. We had 3 days in hand (Friday to Sunday) and without wasting any time started our journey on Thursday night itself after office hours as we knew we had a long journey by road ahead of us.

We started  from Delhi and headed to Chandigarh then to Kiratpur, Bilaspur and finally to Kulu district. The whole journey took almost 15 hours taking up the most of Friday but on reaching our destination i.e., Kasol all seemed totally worth it.

Nestled amidst beautiful mountains this small little town has a majestic river , Beas, running through it.

The touristy attractions of the place are:
1) A trek up to Malana Village or Magic valley!

Malana is a small village nestled on top of a mountain which is 13 kms away from Kasol town. It takes about one and an hour hour to get there by road  and the vehicle can be taken up till a certain point after which the rest of the path needs to be trekked.  The village has its unique culture and practices. It's a steep trek up the mountains to the village and takes about one and half hours.

2) A stroll in the Kasol market which has a number of eating joints serving international cuisines and shops selling local handicrafts and woollens.
We had a scrumptious lunch at a nice, spacious restraunt located in the heart of the market called, little Italy. It serves the best Grilled trout, fresh out of the river! Must try!

Kasol Market place

Lil Italy restaurant

3) A visit to the famous Gurudwara (Sikh temple) , Manikaran Sahab.
The Gurudwara is just 6 kms away from Kasol market place and is famous for its hot springs. A tip is to visit the Gurudwara at night as the place has a mystical appeal to it at this time. Take a dip in the hot water spring, eat  Langar  (food served free of cost to the pilgrims) and listen to the sermons by God men!

Manikaran Sahab

Inside the Gurudwara

Inside the Gurudwara

4)Various camp sites and cafes along the riverside to chill at,  eat and enjoy the view.

Campsite by the riverside

River Beas

River Beas

It's a beautiful place to visit! In case the road journey seems a bit tiring then a flight from Delhi to Kulu is a possibility too! All in all it was very relaxing, refreshing trip full of new discoveries!

Care for your environment - Cycle!

My current city, Gurgaon, has taken a huge step towards making the city ecofriendly! Following the World Car Free day which fell on a Tuesday ( 22 nd Sept 2015), the Traffic Police of Gurgaon has declared every Tuesday, each week a car free day.  The car free day basically means that every resident makes a conscious decision towards the mode of commuting. Every city resident choses a public mode of transport, either a bus, the metro or car pool but avoids driving solo around the city.

The first Car Free Day in Gurgaon saw a few resident participate with a lot of roads still clogged with traffic. But it was a start! I for one picked up my Merida (bicycle) and decided to cycle to work and back. It was a total ride of 50 kilometers. I started early in the morning at 6 am and avoided the peak traffic. The morning ride was a breeze however on my way back I came across peak traffic and the roads did not have any cyclists only lanes. But all in all it was a good day where I felt like a good samaritan who did her bit for the city and it's environment! Here are some of the clicks from my ride that day.

On the Highway early in the morning

Close to my destination

Blessed with Great Weather that day

So to all those people who are fed up of the traffic situation on the road, care enough for their environment and want to be fit but dont find time for it , pick up that bike which is catching dust in one corner of your house and make a lifestyle change now!

Accessories which make a ride comfortable

Accessories which make a bike ride comfortable and fun are few basic ones! Mine just arrived! Here's a peak into my latest haul:
1. Btwin hand gloves - long rides can be tough on the palms. Holding onto  the handle bar for long can be painful. Gloves are a must for long rides.

2. Btwin padded shorts - being on the bike saddle for long can be uncomfortable no matter how good the saddle is. A good pair of shorts help!

3. A saddle bag to carry your bare minimum stuff...money , keys, phone!

4. Good pair of shades for eye protection

Fastrack sport frames

5. Face Mask

6. Btwin Helmet - head protection

7. Last but not the least- My latest mouse pad for office computer
A constant reminder of how much fun cycling is cause it's a heady mix of exercise , being in the midst of nature and friends!

So this was the update on my accessories! I am fully prepared for long rides! Riding to my office to observe the World Car Free day tomorrow (22nd Sept 2015). We are responsible for our environment..let's make a change today!

Merida Crossway Hybrid Bike

This post is dedicated to my new bike, the Merida Crossway 20! This weekend I took this bike out for a 50 kilometer ride and every bit of the ride was pure pleasure. This review is by a very happy customer and Merida bike is totally worth the money!

I bought my bike from a big store called CycloFit in Ghitorni , Delhi. The store has all international brands of sports bikes and honestly although I had done my research on the types and brands  of bikes to buy,  I had no idea about the Merida brand.

On evaluating different bikes in the store, I realised that Merida was offering superior quality in terms of the gear set, suspension, brakes, tires as compared to the other brands!

I finally chose the Crossway 20 model ..Merida is a cycle brand from Taiwan which makes bikes with German tecnology. Here's a peep into the are specifications..

Merida Crossway 20 (Hybrid Bike)

Specifications:

The Merida Crossway 20 Features are:Frame: 6061 technoformed aluminium frame with hydroformed top tube, mounts for rack, mudguards Fork: Suntour NEX 63mm travel with lockout Bars: Merida comp oversize 6200mm wide 25mm rise Stem: Adjustable A-Head - allows you to adjust height of the handle bar Gears - 3 in front and 8 at backFront Mech: Shimano Tourney Rear Mech: Shimano Acera-X Chainset: Shimano M131 48-38-28Bottom Bracket: Cartridge BearingCassette: Sunrace CS-8S 11-32Chain: Sunrace 8s
Front Brake: Promax MTD 160mm 
Rear Brake: Promax MTD 160mm 

Rims: Merida Comp D 

Front Hub: Alloy Disc 

Rear Hub: Alloy Disc 

Tyres: Cross 40c Front Cross 40c Rear

Seatpost: Suspension 
Rear Brake: Promax MTD 160mm 
Rims: Merida Comp D 

Front Hub: Alloy Disc 

Rear Hub: Alloy Disc 

Tyres: Cross 40c Front Cross 40c Rear

Seatpost: Suspension 
Rims: Merida Comp D 
Front Hub: Alloy Disc 

Rear Hub: Alloy Disc 

Tyres: Cross 40c Front Cross 40c Rear

Seatpost: Suspension 
Front Hub: Alloy Disc 
Rear Hub: Alloy Disc 

Tyres: Cross 40c Front Cross 40c Rear

Seatpost: Suspension 
Rear Hub: Alloy Disc 
Tyres: Cross 40c Front Cross 40c Rear

Seatpost: Suspension 
Tyres: Cross 40c Front Cross 40c Rear
Seatpost: Suspension 
Seatpost: Suspension 

Bike Weight - 14.9kg (52cm frame - with pedals)

The Crossway is Merida's very popular hybrid bike for daily commuting, leisure and light off-roading. It's the versatility of the Crossway which makes it so popular...and the very competitive pricing.

The Crossway 20 MD is a great first bike or run-around available through Cycle 2 Work (or on Tredz Finance).

Frame & Fork

Merida have done an excellent job on the frame. It is light so you can accelerate fast, stiff so your pedalling is efficient, and strong for daily durability. Ideal for nipping through the morning traffic or a bit of off-roading too - thanks to the 63mm travel Suntour NEX fork.

The frame on the 20-MD is also double butted, helping to shave extra weight for a more rapid ride. There are also mounts for rack and mudguards - showing it's credentials as a commuter machine.

Components

Shimano gears and shifters are good quality and reliable, while Merida's own 700c Comp rims will keep you rolling. Promax MTD mechanical disc brakes give you great stopping power than standard rim brakes - great if you're on busy urban roads or gravel/ dirt tracks.

Bicycle Basics - Types

Turning pro biker is a tumultuous journey! It's a tough journey but a fulfilling one. There will be days when you would want to give up but the thrill and adventure of the rides would keep you motivated to continue. To begin, getting a good cycle in case you are thinking of long rides is a must.

There are mainly 3 types of bicycles to choose from:

1. Road cycles, 2. Mountain cycles 3. Hybrid cycles

Road cycles: are the cycles which have light frames and slim tyres. They are basically meant to give speed and go fast. Generally have 27 gears. Most expensive as they are supposed to give good speed and quality while weighing less.

Mountain cycles: these cycles are rugged. They have huge frames, comfortable seating with bulky tires. They are divided into full suspension, front suspension and no suspension types. They are meant for off roading and do not provide much speed. Generally have 26 inch tires and 21-27 gears.

 Hybrids : these cycles combine features of both cycle types. They have light frames as that of Road cycles along with a few features from the mountain cycles such as front suspension. They generally have 27 inch tyres.

Cycle tyre size:

The cycle tyre size also matters quite a bit while choosing the right cycle. Size generally ranges from 26 - 29 inch tyres. The larger the size the more road covered per rotation.

Cycle Frames:

Steel frame is the classic type of frame. However aluminium, carbon and titanium are lightweight are very durable in comparison.

Brands to buy
1. Schwinn - The Schwinn Bicycle Company was founded by German-born-born mechanical engineer Ignaz Schwinn (1860–1945) in Chicago in 1895. 
2. Trek - Trek Bicycle Corporation is a major bicycle and cycling product manufacturer and distributor from US
3. BTWIN - France make
4. Cannondale-The Cannondale Bicycle Corporation, is an American division of Canadian conglomerate Dorel Industries that supplies bicycles.
5. Scott- American company
6. Firefox - Indian make

New Additions to the Living Room

It's been an awesome Sunday. It started with a long, adrenaline pumping, beautiful cycle ride into the outskirts of city (40 Kms). Five of us started at 5.30 am in the morning and completed the 40 kms within 3 hours and only one pit stop. Nothing like cycling on weekends to break the drudgery and to get those sleepy body cells active again.

Early morning start

40 kms on the road

Next on my agenda this Sunday was a bit of furniture shopping.

Gradually and slowly I have added some unique pieces of furniture to my new home. Latest additions to my collection are these vintage teak wood chairs and an beautifully crafted glass table.

The chairs are comfortable, sturdy and elegant looking. I need some appropriate size cushions to complete their look.

 The table, made entirely of glass has added a bit of drama to my otherwise boring living room. The stem of the table coils up like human DNA making it very eye catching.

Another addition was a wooden table crafted in the shape of an elephant.

Love the metal detailing on the table.

My living room furniture is a heady mix of contemporary and vintage pieces and somehow they fit in very well together.

Happy with my new additions and happy that this was a Sunday well spent!

YEY TO NEW BEGINNINGS !!

The first few weeks of June have been very testing, not just for me but for everybody around me as well! It's been a month which has broken my comfort zones and of many I know. The only comfort that can be derived from all this is from the lines,' Change is for the better!'

For me, at a professional level major organizational changes in my company have demanded that I step into a new role. I took up the challenge with mixed feelings. I am excited about learning a whole new field of work and expanding my work profile but at the same time there is nervousness about fitting in and meeting expectations. On  weighing the options of sticking on to my previous profile (which I can confidently say that I have a good grip on) versus moving on to something new and very coveted at this point had me in a fix for sometime but in the end my thirst to experiment, explore new territories and test my own capabilities got the better of me. After all , I never want to turn back at a lost oppurtunity and say, 'What if?'

My dear friend R, has decided to leave his small little apartment which had been his abode for a good number of years for something more spacious in Mumbai. As he beings this arduous journey of finding himself a little space in the city of skyscrapers, the situation has been complicated by Rain Gods. Mumbai experienced heavy rainfall in the past one week making the sea waves rise to a good three feet and flood the streets. The traffic come to a virtual standstill. Murphy ' s law at its best!

And history repeats itself! My little cousin sister, D, is all grown up now , ready to enter college. Coincidently she decided to take up my stream ,  medicine that is. The  coincidence doesn't end there cause she even qualified and chose the same college  as mine. As she prepares for the new chapter in her life and sends a volley of wassapp updates and images from the college, I get this strong urge to be with her there! Indeed the time spent at the college campus was a period I remember very fondly and which I am very proud of.

Yey to new beginnings cause they bring with them much excitement,  butterflies in the stomach and uncertainty to what the future holds! The beauty of life lies in its unpredictability!

The Quirkiest of May!

While I was sipping on my cold coffee on a summer afternoon of May , I read about a rather weird yet hilarious offer being made! A young lawyer from Kenya, offered to marry US President Obama ' s daughter who is just sixteen for fifty cows, 70 sheep and 30 goats. 

The fellow professed his immense love for her and also suggested that once she moved to his village after marriage he teach her how to milk a cow, cook ugali (a starchy dish) and prepare mursik (a sour milk). This by far was the quirkiest news of the month of May for me. Of course it made for great coffee time gossip and brought out a smile on everybody's face whenever it was discussed.

I can't say any in about the genuineness of the proposal being made here but one thing I can can say for sure that in today's day and age of globalisation and technology all it takes to be world famous is a little bit of quirkiness!  The lawyer from Kenya became a rage world over as the news about his offer spread like wild fire across the international media!

Image from Google (lawyer on the left and Obama daughter Malia on the right).

As if this was not enough another quirk that started doing the rounds in May was that the devastating earthquake that struck  Nepal , a small country adjoining India, was blamed by some Indian politicians on religious offence of eating beef and cow slaughter by the people of Nepal.

 Image from Google (Nepal Earthquake)

Nepal experienced  the worst earthquake in decades , which was 7.5 on the richter and lead to much destruction and death of thousands of people. However some insensitive politicians had to give this tragedy a communal flavour and blamed this event on the wrath of Gods. The cow is considered sacred in the Hindu religion and Hinduism is the dominant religion both in India and Nepal. Thus a few fanatics had to blame this tragedy on the slaughter of cows taking place in Nepal to meet the beef demand. This was happening even though geologists had given detailed explanations about the reason for the earthquake. There is really no end to superstitious belief and the manipulation of people's sentiments by politicians.

Image from Google (Nepal Earthquake)

Last but not the least, Maggie , a noodles brand in India which has been a favourite of millions for ages was found to contain very high levels of lead and monosodium glutamate. These high levels are not fit for human intake and therefore the product was banned country wide. However the moot question here is that if Maggie noodles which is such a common brand that it is available on the shelves of practically every grocery store and is marketed by a very well known brand i.e., Nestlé could violate the food safety rules like this then what is the status of the other lesser known products. Really there is a need to beef up our food security laws, here in India.

                                        Image from Google