Its a BOY!!

Date: 28th June
Place: Diana's home
Pic courtesy from Sumit!

Remember the 1st series of ad's for Pulsar! Two nurses walk in the Neo-Natal care; & declaring Its a BOY! Its a BOY! & voila Pulsar is shown in the freeze frame; with an adage, Definitely Male!!

We got the bike (Bullet Thunderbird) yesterday & it is awesome! My 1st time on a Bullet & i was like a kid with a grin from ear to ear! Took Diana for a ride & opened up the throttle for the 5th gear & took it up to 60!(thts the max i am advised to ride, till the 1st service). Now i know why everyone goes ga-ga over a Bullet!

You know, its like eating a Chocolate Mousse from Java City. Thats the feeling. You dont wanna stop & want to keep eating it! Thats how you feel when you ride a Bullet!

I actually spent an hour admiring it at home. Call me a kid but its a dream come true to ride one.

So, BOYS, move!!!

The Countdown has Begun.

For me the Countdown began on the 16th of May itself. 30 days from flag-off.


I think it was a friend who reminded me; Do you know, you will leave for your trip in 30 days? BANG!!! It hit me on my face! I didnt want to know tht; i start thinking "big-time" about it! I freek out! I fret! & all this, will affect me. I felt weak in my knee, i started feeling sick, i ran temperature! Its the kinda feeling a school kid goes through before his/her final exams!


Its hard for me to keep calm; bcos i know, the day i start from Bangalore, there is not much i can do, things wouldnt be in my control; its otherwise...


So, what has been done till now?


1. The bike has been booked. Its a Bullet Thunderbird. 350 cc, 18 bph, 5 speed (left foot gear shift), electric start, with front disc breaks.
2. We have finished events in 9 cities. The placard activity is done with in Bangalore, Pondicherry, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bhubaneshwar, Kolkotta, Delhi, Chandigarh & Guwhati.
3. The route for my ride is finalised.
4. Fuel is being sponsored by Indian Oil.
5. The GPS provider is more or less finalised.
6. I think i am ready! :)

This is just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. Lot of things needs to be bought, bike needs to be tuned & altered for carrying my luggage, i need to keep my docs in place & also the permits i would need during the course of my ride, esp in the North-East.

Its called Chrysallis Power of One!

Its been 15 months since i thought about a ride; a ride across this country; a ride which will take me to places & meet new people, a ride which i was convinced enough to do it alone (read solo).

Today is 21 May 2007. 25 days to flag off! Yes, i am leaving bangalore on 16th June 2007. Its been a long long wait. Have postponed the dates by 6 months, initially, planned to leave by Jan 6th, this year. Didnt know that i couldnt get in & out of "Leh". My initial plan was to ride through every State, go through its Capitals; & also see if i can touch base with the 4 corners of this country (read rideable corners)!!

I was not sure. Not sure, if this is just a crazy idea (many of whom i have met & talked to, till think it is), didnt know any answers for How, When, Why.... I needed someone to tell me that it was ok to think like this, it is normal. I did get that support from a colleague! & one phone call changed it all. I called Diana Tholoor. Over the next few meetings, there was meaning for my thought.

Now, after 15 months, its no more just a ride! Its "Chrysallis Power of One".

Its not about one person! There is no definite meaning to it! But what that one person can to do to bring about that change; that one person can do miracles in his/her own way! Theres a team of volunteers working hard to make this project happen; there are volunteers working across the country; there are children participating in "Know your Special Friend"; special children are making new friends; as i said, this is not about one person!!

From this blog onwards, the posts are about me, what i am going through, what i feel...evrything you didnt want to know, nobody wanted to hear about!!!