Reaching office - alternate options

Since the only other driver in my car pool has gone to Canada and will not be back for a year or two, we are facing serious challenges in terms of continuing the same. I am finding it quite tiring to drive on all 5 days of the week, especially when I have to spend 3-4 days stuck in continuous traffic jams lasting for 30 odd minutes at multiple places.

AS has been detailed many times before, I am kinda fed up with the bus travel due to the cramped seats and a continuous feeling of violation of private space. So I thought I will try out the option of traveling by the EMU or electric train from Guindy to my office.

From an economic stand point, I actually end up paying more for the train travel. That's because, I have to spend some 150 bucks a day by auto (from and to home) and that alone comes to 3K per month. Whereas, the car pool expense for the whole of November cost me only 2K!

But in spite of these challenges, I still wanted to try out the train option. If I indeed start liking the train travel, I am likely to think seriously about the commute to Guindy. It might probably give me a good reason to get my Splendor back on track, yet again.

I have used the train to reach office once before (I had to attend a wedding en route) and a couple of times on the return leg. Today was going to be my first time travelling both ways by train.

Details about my experiences can be read in my subsequent posts.

My motorbike is back baby

The bike is now ready. It looks like a new one. The 15K I have spent on it now looks every bit worthy enough.
It came home on Monday night. I couldn't take it out on Tue and Wed. So had big plans for Thurs. But again, had some work to do with my current employer and the previous one. So by the time I was ready to take a ride, it was nearly 4.30PM.
That didn't deter me. I went around looking for my helmet. After a 10 minute search inside the house, I remembered seeing it in the garage. And there it was. But it was very evident that lots of organisms were living there without paying me any rent. So I ditched the helmet idea and decided to go without it.
I was still very keen and full of enthu to ride it. After successfully starting it (not sure if a start that requires 20 kicks can really be termed successful, but lets leave that aside) I said my byes to the oldies and headed out. Still felt very happy.
The feel of wind in your face, wind in your hair et al. Sounds great. Just that this happy feeling lasted for 1.2 kms. And I was brought back to Earth, courtesy the ubiquitous vehicle created for pollution - the Chennai Metropolitan Transport Corporation Bus. There was one some 50 feet in front of me and it let out one throaty noise and lo, there was lot of smoke out of its exhaust pipe, basically black in color. I think the steam engine running on the Ooty ghat section lets out smoke in a slightly lighter shade of black.
Nevertheless, I motored along to SuperThumby's house, showed it off there, took the customary pictures and returned home.
In time for setting up the Kolu stand. More on that in a future blog.