14th March upto

"Sunrise, burning heat, nothing is as traveled as as a bombay street"

It suddenly has become blissful to get out of the Bombay taxis, rather than waiting in it for the traffic to clear. It is also when you realize that Bombay has become like Chennai and you start to love the weather. As I continue in smelly taxi waiting for the traffic to clear and cool breeze to blow, I am caught waiting at the opening of the second signal [again], with a few people of different sex force you to give them some money.

" We eunuchs bring you luck; Give us money, you will see. I can change your fortune; If you are kind to me. But if you refuse us; You'll face adversity. Even though we're not, the men we used to be; Even though we're not, the men we used to be "

They wished me a new year and say "hamara bhe new year karvadho" and were happy to get a 5 rupee coin. Thats typically how the new year had begun, just to forget the self hosted new year party.

The rest of the month saw me prepare for the for the half at auroville marathon, the preparation was not up to the mark [but not bad either as i ran a 5-10 regularly] as I was failing to get up early in the morning. On the race day, the same thing happened, I woke up 2 hours late only to decide that my first official half marathon i would be running without a bib. Running with this terrible feeling in mind, i had covered the first 18kms at ease, without a break, but had to stop at 18kms mark as the foreigners [blonde, cheer girls] were encouraging my speed [i guess]. In pretext of talking to them, i asked them some spray and in return they massaged my thighs and calf muscles. I must say i did not want to run after that, but somehow with the spirit still on, i continued and finished the race in little over 2hrs 30 min. I returned home with a sprained thighs and calf muscles [waiting to get addressed] and a tee shirt [after much please please] which marks that I ran that race. "More than the courage to start is the will to finish". I think i had both.

But sometimes, it is difficult to call a friend to wish her on our first anniversary of friendship [lol!! January 26th], probably because last year around the same time the introduction did not last a brief 3 minutes, the date [later the month] was not made and the drink barely extended beyond a watermelon. But today they shall speak of what but nothing ?