It's Not About The Bike

3 guys just reached their destination, Haridwar - traveling from Mumbai on a bicycle for a cool 2000 kms! While I can't recollect a single thing I achieved in the last 21 days (the time they took to cover the distance) I'm superhappy for their achievement and promised to join them on their next trip. Yeah, me and my promises :)

Here's wishing hearty congratulations and a fabulous new year to you guys - Prateek, Vinod and Glean. Rock on!

Who are these people and why did they do all this? Check out Life Away From Life or the Google group.

Things I'll miss about Bangalore!

It's just been 3 weeks since I moved back to Mumbai from Bangalore (with a week in between in Assam), but I already miss the city which I otherwise found boring while there - ah well, you know - the grass is always greener on the other side ;) In no particular order, here's what I'll miss badly...

• Lalbagh Botanical Gardens - Simply beautiful - would offer something new every week!
  
• My bachelor pad :)
  
• Haggling with the autorickshaw guys - oh it's a royal freakin' pain
  
• Sangria nights at Olive Beach
  
• Sunny's Special Blue Cheese Salad at, well, Sunny's
  
• Roadside food at V.V. Puram and Chikpet
  
• Brigade Road, Church Road and M.G. Road - my daily haunts
  
• The St.Mark's Road Barista which perhaps has the best interiors I've seen for a café
  
• The Coffee World at Mota Arcade which reminded me of Central Perk. By the way although they are not as popular as Barista and Cafe Coffee Day I rate them the best!
  
• Microsoft colleagues and acquaintances! Made so many awesome friends here :)
  
• Friday morning break-feasts at the office pantry. The only day I used to reach on time. Sometimes.
  
• The Cha Bar, Barista, Oxford Bookstore, Spa and Athena at The Leela
  
• The gorgeous view and the expanse at Ista
  
• The lazy Sunday brunches with friends - Oberoi, Chancery Pavilion, Casa Del Sol
  
• Taika's awesome dance floor - although they don't allow you to dance anymore!
  
• SoCare - an NGO all of us visited and spent a day with kids. Wish I spent more time :(
  
• Breakfasts at Koshy's and Konark (highly recommended)
  
• A million restaurants - Bangalore is truly a foodie paradise!
  
• 3Storys - Amazing homely restaurant on Lavelle Road with a Goa -like ambience and the yummiest coastal cuisine which'll leave you smacking your fingers. They didn't bribe me to say this really :) Recommendations: Fish meal, 'bibinca', 'dodol' (desert), kadlai curry
  
• Walking from the Airport Road to Shantinagar frustated with autorickshaws who wouldn't stop for a fare or overcharge. That's a cool 7 kms. At least.
  
• Inox, Lush, CookieMan, Tresspass and pretty much all of Garuda Mall
  
• Hint, Bombay Blue, Namma MTR (now closed) at Bangalore Central
  
• Weekend getaways which were just a thought away from the city
  
• Magazines - My favorite store which sells virtually every mag under the sun (Church St.)
  
• The awesome bookstores - Blossoms, Crossword, Oxford, Higginbothams... tons more!
  
• More restaurants - 100Ft. Boutique, The Beach, Cosmo Village, Biryani Merchant (closed)
  
• .... and last but most importantly... all the fantastic people I met and made friends!

Bangalore through my lens - Click here for my photoblog on Flickr.