How I Learned to Ride a Bike (again)

Recently I have been drawn to my bike more than usual. So much biking around: In my city, across my city, in the neighboring country, by the river, in the park, on the mountain, everywhere. I enjoy this activity and it feels like meditation to me, to set off in a wonderful path and pedal along. Funnily today, I saw a kid learning to ride a bike and it reminded me of the funny experiences I had while learning to ride a bike. It was not my childhood. I was 23 and I had just moved to Gent. And THAT is what this blog is all about. I have taken a long pause from this blog, so I thought, why not restart with something silly?

Some people say riding a bicycle is one of the things you cannot unlearn. But not only I had unlearned it but also grown scared of doing it. And then I moved to Belgium. And what did I see all around me? People, bikes, people riding those bikes, people walking their dogs while riding their bikes, and my favourite one - people dragging their luggage to the train station with one hand while on a bike. But I couldn't do any of that. Determined to change that, I went to a store one fine day and rented myself a bike. Only I couldn't ride it yet. At the store I met an interesting man, also starting at the same school as me. We lived in the same area, around the university in Gent. He asked if we could go together and around the campus. ''SURE'' was my first thought. ''SILLY BIKE INEXPERIENCED WOMAN'' was my second one. Feeling insecure and not wanting to look stupid, I went in the other direction, so that we didn't have to bike together. I walked my bike for 3 kilometers to my home. And that was that for the week. Every morning I saw my shiny bike parked outside my home. I felt really bad. It's like when Ross said to Phoebe, ''This bike wants to be ridden. You're killing the spirit of the bike''. So I picked a night - both lovely and lonely- to try it out in the park in front of my home. Only I couldn't. Of course everything has to be perfect - the luminosity, the temperature, the stars, how else can I ride a bike? 

Determined to complete my mission the next day, I went out. The sun was shining. People were minding their own business. The weather was perfect. There cannot be a better time. So I rubbed hands like a makkhi and unlocked my journey for adventure. I remembered the lovely tricycle I rode in my childhood. Time to make you really proud, buddy. I tried to take off like a smooth criminal. Only I couldn't. With wobbly hands I gave my dream another try. There I was .. trembling, but moving forward. Gaining confidence, I picked up speed. I tried to frame my very own success story that was to be shared generation after generation. The stories of the bravery of the bicycle girl. Until I stormed into a park bench. But I didn't fall down. That's a good start! I moved further, regained balance, and moved over to an empty street. 

I shit you not: I got better exponentially.

I rode with a smile. I rode with grace. And then  I was gliding through the empty street with open hair and wind passing through it. I loved to feel the wind in my hair. The sun was shining on my bike rear. The birds sang songs when I rode past them. Artists were mesmerized by the beauty of that bike ride. All men wanted me. All women wanted to be me.

And then my wheel got stuck in the tram line and I crashed hard and welcomed some bruises. The seat of my bike rotated 90 degrees clockwise. And let's say I was thrown into a position from where I could REALLY appreciate the beautiful day. And if that was not enough, a tram came from behind and hit me. Okay, not the last sentence. But imagine if it really happened! With my bruised elbow, I walked my bike back home and it remained untouched for a long time. 

Eventually I did get better. And managed my way in the tiny Gent and huge Hamburg. When I am not sure about my day, it is now always an option to take my bike and ride away into a beautiful path. Or get to know a new one. Leaving the mundane behind and pedaling away without a care in the world - whether in the next street or miles from civilization. And I have never been disappointed. 

Speeding in the Winter Rain!

So the day was ... fun! (glad to hear myself  say this after a long long time!)
Today, I was woken up by my sweetest way. That just gave me all I needed. 
 Yeah I had my Physics exam today, and it DID go well! (for the first time that!)
But why I will remember today forever was because of what happened on my way back home.
As soon as I met Shruti, I looked up, worrying that it might rain any minute. So, to reach home in a hurry,  she started her scooty in a jiffy and I quickly climbed behind her .. and off we went. 
100 miles an hour?
 I don't know. But however fast that was, it was enough to make me believe, for just one second that I was time travelling (yes, have your laugh)
In 21 seconds, 
IT STARTED RAINING...
Heavy downpour!
She sped her Dhanno even faster, and I couldn't see anything (I wonder how did she, either!)
I kept telling her "Please slow down, I wanna get home ALIVE", but then, when the intensity of the rain increased God knows how many times, I forgot everything else, and just started to enjoy the ice-cold water pouring over us! That 20 minute ride back home just made my day!
When I reached home and got off... I saw myself in her rear-view. WOW ! then I realized I was dripping from head to toe. It felt like even my blood had frozen Arrrr!!!
And now as I'm done drying my hair, I think .... such days come rarely in my life.
Okay, it was chilly, along with the "Shruti-Effect" ... abusing everyone who came in our way.  But nevertheless, that was something I can never forget.
It was probably the first time that I had enjoyed winter rain this much !
*Disfrutar de la vida* (:

Turning 17 ! ♥♥

I wish I could describe this day in a million words !

amazing, fab, one of the best days blah blah blah.

so today, November 28, 2011 completed the seventeen years that i have lived.  

unexpectedly , the day WAS unexpected .had started just like any other school day. had huge fun with my girlfriends. loved it. after school. we decided just to go out and enjoy for sometime. well,  Shruti drove  her Dhanno to pick me up and we were to meet Shivangini and Heena at the hotel. 

ordered our usual stuff! ate ate and ate a lot. like CRAZY . laughed laughed laughed ... like CRAZY ..sang on the top of our voices like CRAZY . went bonkers over a song and danced ..like CRAZY .then went madder . like CRAZY 

chocolate ice cream in the end was JUST the perfect finish! 

and those girls gave me a lovely birthday card that was just INSANE ! 

paid the bill . was getting dark . nearly 8 pm . so we started towards home. Heena and Shivangini went on her scooty and i sat behind Shruti on her Dhanno as she rode at 80 miles an hour on the nearly empty Jail Road. amazing to feel my hair flying in the air like CRAZY after such a long time. woohooo ! 

whoa whoa whoa... scarily fast that it took five seconds for me to slip back into my senses ! 

all in all, this was a day i can never ever ever forget.

so cheers , to my girlfriends, Heena Shivangini and Shruti. 

you girls made my day !

*disfrutar de la vida!* (:

the lovely card they gave me

It all started with a phone call

first of all, let me make it very clear that i'm writing this only because Bhedu ( very sweet friend of mine ) has updated her blog about today's boisterous day and i dont want to be left behind :p


so it was the day i was all happy and relaxing after my final exams ... 


and then... my cellphone rang !! should i take it? or not? i was busy a little . . finally i looked at it ..
it was Bhedu.. i like her a lot because she had given me this wonderful name DIDO 2 years ago... she asked me to go to Shivratri fair with her.. Since i wasn't doing anything, i expressed my willingness.
we met near the venue.. 
Believe me if not lakhs, there were atleast a thousand other people sharing the same road as us. so i had GREAT trouble finding her
COINCIDENCE # 1 - we both were wearing purple
immediately after entering, we went for a ride.. BREAK DANCE. YUCK nothing like break ... nothing like dance.. we were literally walking just here and there and looked at IIT board and i S-I-G-H-E-D. both of us badly wanted to get in there !!
we entered the DOME and for a moment .. it felt like we've landed on another planet. no kidding. me and Bhedu got some friggin cute clips and then kept walking endlessly here and there browsing stuff we didn't really like and had no intention of buying
COINCIDENCE # 2 - we both met our families in the fair 
COINCIDENCE # 3 - me and Bhedu's mothers were both wearing red !! 


then came the F_U_N part....
we met a girl ( im sorry i forgot her name ! she was Bhedu's friend ) who was scared to death from the giant wheel .. so damn scared that she ACTUALLY started screaming. I mean why the hell can people be so scared. i'm not saying i'm very brave. but i learnt a lot from that experience. i mean to conquer the fear and stuff like that !! we provided her a list of all the rides .. needless to say, she had a BIG NO to each one of our wonderful options. nevertheless she was hard to convince for the columbus. 
COINCIDENCE # 4 - we found another coward for that scared little thingie (sorry if i am rude)
Then we met 6 of my friends and we headed proudly towards C_O_L_U_M_B_U_S .. a long waiting time BUT IT WAS WORTH IT !! 
i was at first scared, unable to decide whether i should Sit on the ride or STAND.. but me and shivangini finally decided to stand like Vidisha.
 WOOHOO
 i screamed my heart out ( i know such an expression doesn't exist, but how else could i express the AMAZING feeling i had there)
 Then we bought something- ME VIDISHA AND BHAVESH .. *(i tried that when i got back home and i liked it.)* thanks vidisha for choosing that for me ** LOVE YOU**
In the end... we smartly headed back home with our stroll through the streets . . . talking about becoming science club captain, how quiet and peaceful it was at night  or whatever.. it was around 7:00 and getting dark and Bhedu's father was to pick us up. . . so we kept walking .. and walking.. and walking  and me , thinking in my mind of WOW WHAT A BLOG-WORTH day !!
 then i don't know what happened to my little brother, he said that he THOUGHT he saw Bhedu's car go to the other side. At first, Bhedu didn't believe. but when bhanu said that he also saw a CHOTA BACHA SITTING IN THE CAR, Vidisha went nuts. we kept standing there     
like dumbos .. in the dark haha !! what fun !!
finally the appearance of Vidisha's car OUT-OF-THE-BLUE confirmed that bhanu's observation had rusted.
if i had my way, i could describe this day in a million words. but neither i have that much time, nor i know so many words. (you know it makes sense, right?) (:
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