Saturday, March 14, 2009
After 5 days of riding, I chose to take the day off. The rest was for two reasons – to keep myself fresh for the rest of the tour and to meet my friend Arun or Shazu, as he is known amongst us, who was visiting Cochin for the weekend. Arun’s brother Anand, who was then residing at Cochin, helped me in getting the hotel room in a very good location, thus relieving me from a huge task of finding a cheaper one in such a big city. In the evening, I took a walk to a park on the banks of the backwater offering me some good photos.
Late in the evening, Arun visited me with Govind, a junior to me during my college days. We met over a dinner at India Coffee House and spent some time talking about the trip and my plans for the next stage of the trip. I had originally planned to visit Thiruchur next day. Although Guruvayur was closer to the coast as per the map, I thought that it might be an expensive proposition when it comes to finding a place to stay. Arun offered me his apartment at Guruvayur which changed the plans for good. It not only reduced the distance of the ride but ensured that I ride closer to the coast. Govind was then living in Vipin, 20 kms north of Cochin invited me for a breakfast at his home the next day. It was a Sunday and he was glad to host me at his home for a breakfast. I accepted both the offers with glee!
Running and Beyond 