My term at my workplace is coming to an end by mid Oct or so. It would be three years at this place and already my thoughts are on just getting out of this place, either forever or for at least temporary period, at least. For this is the longest I have worked at any place during the one decade I have been out of college. So what’s the plan?
First, a long tour on cycle which would satiate my thirst, to some extent, for cycling & for travel which is not very planned and on one’s own. Currently thinking of covering Karnataka & Goa very extensively. Don't know, if time is there, then probably get over to TN, ride to Chennai and then take the East Coast Road to reach Kanyakumari and from there enter Kerala and ride up to reach home @ Kottayam somewhere around Christmas time. The plan is to be mostly on the state highways and other roads, avoiding the NH as much as possible.
This time, unlike last time some 8-9 years back, I'm going to take it much easy. The focus would not be towards covering so many kilometers in a day but rather on other aspects. Probably just split it into two phases and during the later stages (i.e.in TN) cover much more kms in a day. But don’t know, for that is the time when the North East monsoon gets fairly active in that part of the country. So that’s kind of fairly tentative.
Second, interact with children and others. Talk to them about the environment and the way currently things are moving forward and how we all can stem the tide. Some kind of message, eh!
Third, assess the impact, of NREGS work in a small way. Now this is something again quite close to heart and large amount of my work, currently, is related to that only. Just wanted to see the kind of impact it is making on people’s life in my state.
Fourth, Natural farming is something which interests me a lot and something which I would love to do in the future. There are many people who are doing it in many places across the state. So kind of stay with them and learn a bit or two, eh!
Fifth, see all the places which I have been wanting to for a very long time, particularly the entire Western Ghats stretch; all those forests and mountains which I love so much. It’s going to be tough riding up and down but I think it would be worth the effort,eh!
Sixth, try & stay with people only in villages and other places unlike last time when I mostly put up in dhabas, hotels et al. This time I just want to stay with people in the villages and accept whatever they would offer me. And wherever they don’t, just move ahead….
Seventh, Hopefully re-discover some parts of myself, once again. This would be quite quite important for me, for I want to do it before it gets too late, eh!
I know it’s quite a handful but think it would be quite fine and should be able to manage.
The plan is to start somewhere around mid or end October and wind up around year end time or so. Altogether around 60-75 days, on the road and in other places. Expect to cover around 1500 – 2000 kms in total, but that’s not at all important. For this time the effort would be to build relationships with people and see, feel and experience whatever comes in front of me.
It’s not going to be like last trip wherein I was just bothered about getting from one place to another and hardly made much contact with people and other things per se. And I want it to be done, in a non-extravagant manner without splurging too much on self and other aspects. The aim is to do it as cheaply as possible.
Just started making some preparations. The mind is ready (& that’s most important according to me 4 then other things would follow) and so is the body. Of course, the latter would require and would be helped with some kind of conditioning over the next few days. Also new bike has to be purchased, for my existing one would not be able to stand the rigours of the long tour, considering that she is a racing bike (so not quite suitable for long rides) and kind of old now what with more than five long years of devoted service without any kind of complaint, eh! But most importantly mom has to be convinced and that’s gonna take some effort.
Does it make any sense? Tell, would be interested in hearing….even if it doesn’t…. :-))
