Tag: drive

That Day Yesterday


Driving in Chennai can be a daunting experience, especially with the ongoing metro construction that has shrunk main roads and led to digging on interior roads for drainage and metro water. But recently, I had to make a trip from Porur to Singaperumal Kovil with my friend and son, and to my surprise, it turned out to be a stress-free experience.

We started our journey at 9:30 AM, and despite the heavy traffic, I was able to drive comfortably while engaging in a conversation with my friend. My son, too, was occupied with snacking, watching videos, and talking to my friend. We picked up some materials in Vadapalani and continued our journey, a 50 KM drive to Singaperumal Kovil.

With my friend engaging my son and me, the journey felt effortless, and we completed the job without any stress. We returned home by 1 PM, and I decided to take my son back to Madurai, where he stays with his mother.

The drive back to Madurai, which started at 3 PM, was equally enjoyable, and my son’s occasional crankiness didn’t affect my driving. I took breaks to let him play in the play area of hotels, fed him, and continued driving without feeling any stress. We reached Madurai at 11:15 PM, and it was a great feeling to have had such a smooth and enjoyable drive.

Sometimes, things just fall into place, and yesterday was one of those days. Despite the challenging conditions on Chennai’s roads, the trip turned out to be a memorable and stress-free experience for me and my son

Advertisement

Weekly review for IamCJ.in and todo list for this week


Travelling, driving and business are three things I enjoy the most… When all the three converges then it is a bliss…

Sunday started with boredom and just thought of leaving to Madurai by afternoon…

These tweets shows my boredom!!!  

Halfway through the drive checked with Dinesh if he was free and where was he?? He said he was in Dindigul and I took a detour at Trichy and drove to Dindigul…

We met by 8.30 PM for dinner cum business meeting at Hotel Maha Jothi in Dindigul!!!

  
After the review we segregated the completed task, in progress task and to be started from last week list;

Completed Task

  • Logo design
  • Document all expenses
  • Update linked in profile
  • PPT for IamCJ
  • PPT feedback from Anand

In progress

  • Site Setup
  • Document all feedback
  • Talking with reporters

Not yet started

  • Alpha Team
  • Get T-Shirt

Wrapped up the meeting after creating the ToDo List for this week;

  • Carry forward In-Progress & Not Yet Started task
  • Write on daily challenges 
  • Document feedback from alpha team

All went well SUNDAY


Yesterday was one rare day where every thing happened as per plan and without any deviation!!! 

The day started at Anaimalai, Pollachi and after spending some time with my better half, started my days mission;

  • Reached Palani by 9.30 AM and had a meeting with Palani Reporters for our Citizen Journalist(IamCJ.in) initiative!!
  • Then started driving to Dindigul and it was founders meeting over the drive about the progress and planning for IamCJ.in with Dinesh.
  • On reaching Dindigul went to attend my friend Close Buddy Stalin wife’s Valaikappu(Bangle Function).
  • Then accepted Dinesh request to have lunch at his home and thanks to his mother for the delicious lunch.
  • Then came back to Madurai and took a 15 min power nap.
  • Then again went for a retrospection meeting with Swami, Saravanan & Nadesh.
  • Closed the day with dinner at newly opened A2B Restaurent at Solavandhan..

Over all it was a fulfilling day as no plan got deviated and every thing happened for satisfaction.

Mood swings & forgetfulness 


  It was a fantastic Sunday morning where I got up late and did things at my own will!!!

Important task of the day was to goto Pollachi to complete my wife’s part of documentation for the banking work to be executed in Chennai!!

On checking the checklist and everything set started my drive from home!!

Over all what to say??? It was a fulfilling trip where;

  • I had a wonderful Brunch!!!
  • Filled up Gas!!!
  • Had a thought provoking with Saravanan!!!
  • Then it was a wonderful 180 KM drive and Music!!!

On reaching homecoming out that I forgot to carry the main document required to complete the bank work!!

From then on it was mood swings and lost all the fun that came along the way!!! Need to check the root cause for forgetfulness!!!

Made it to Bangalore


Finally decided to go with Bangalore, as it is 120 KM less compared to Madurai…

A short 10 min break before Pallikonda toll at CCD… Loaded myself with some caffeine..

Then enjoyed my drive & thanks to Sawme for a nice 45 min call on a not so busy stretch between Pallikonda to Krishnagiri…

From Krishnagiri onwards it is the lorry that keeps engaged & I enjoy the Zik Zak drive in this stretch…

Upon reaching Bangalore had dinner at my favourite Hotel Upahara at Gottegere & then reached home by 10.45 PM on 12 Feb 2014 :)…

Bangalore or Madurai??


Sitting at home and still haven’t decided if I’ve to drive to Madurai or Bangalore…

Waiting for Swami’s call to check his dates for tomorrow… It’s a one day break & should see if my visit to Madurai would be productive…

Still thinking & not sure which direction my wheels are going to zoom… Anyways waiting for another exciting drive…

Drive to Madurai


For the first time I drove to Madurai a distance of 420 KM from Chennai… Purpose of the visit is to attend Cogzidel Day, to carry some systems & gifts…

Car was loaded with boxes and my entire rear view got blocked… Still risked and continued my drive with Ravi as navigator…

Couldn’t overtake or accelerate because of blocked rear view… Then reached Melmaruvathur and had breakfast at Anandaas….

20130918-063523.jpg

Again it was a slow drive and we took a break before Trichy at Chakra Milk Parlour… After crossing Trichy, it was a pleasant drive with not much traffic…

20130918-064510.jpg

Finally reached Madurai by afternoon and the Highlight of the trip was Ravi… It was the first time Ravi travelled 400+ KM without sleeping :)…

Rejuvenating Bangalore Drive


It was a challenging week to start and last three days have been disastrous when it comes to work…

Almost every professional and personal tasks got collapsed… Even started the day without much enthusiasms and excitement…

Got an appointment with doctor to check about dad’s health… To my surprise doctor reached early and there was no waiting time…

After three days of paralysis, there was a day which was happening… Immediately thought of driving to Bangalore to meet my wife…

Drove all alone to Bangalore and it was good 5 hours where I could come out of stress and think about strategies…

  • Drove against heavy rains
  • Had delicious variety rice for lunch… Unfortunately forgot the name of the Hotel
  • Took a coffee break at CCD
  • A 10 minute traffic halt by road workers… But got a call from office which didn’t make me frustrated
  • Finally reached Bangalore and surprised my wife

Lives were at Stake!!!


Yesterday one of my GrandUncle (Grandma’s Brother) died and we had to visit his funeral at Trichy. Since ours is a large family we had a around 10 folks who had to make it. Since it was heavily raining and everyone was not prepared for a drive we decided to hire a TempoTraveller. We all boarded the Van by 9 PM and it was all misery from then on.

  • Because of unavailability of driver the Cab owner has sent another driver who has just completed his 13 hour shift.
  • Immediately we found this guy sleeping while driving.
  • Myself & 2 of my uncle had to engage in a conversation with the Driver to see to it that he is not sleeping.
  • We took 5+ Tea breaks to refresh him.
  • He feel sleep and applied breaks on the middle of the road & we have to thank almighty that there were no heavy vehicles behind us.
  • He slept and he didn’t notice a lorry in the front and I had to alert him.
  • Then twice he would have collided with a lorry.
  • Then he took a nap for 30 min since he couldn’t resist his sleep.
  • In spite of all this agony we were friendly with him. But the gesture was not reciprocated. When ladies wanted to find a good place to get refreshed. We missed a right turn to get to the Petrol Bunk. This guy refused to take a reverse or a U-turn. Instead we had to goto another Petrol Bunk which had nasty toilets.

Then we reached the place by 5.30 in the morning. What would take 3 – 4 hours to travel a distance of 300 KM took us double the time, with lot of stress… The price paid was myself & 2 of my uncles spent the whole night without any sleep… Also the condition of the vehicle deserver another blog…

What worries me is people are getting ruthless and there is not moral values, business ethics. The owner of the Cab has played with the lives of 10 people. He could have told that he is falling short of Driver. But the greed of making money has made him push a person who has already worked for 13 hours and had to drive another long distance and that too in the night.

Human lives have become too cheap these days…