Diamond crossing

Always wanted to see the diamond crossing in India, so I made it a point to visit it during my first visit to Nagpur.

It is said that this is the only double crossing in Asia. Another landmark is the zero mile stone of India which is at the heart of the city. The pillar was erected in 1907 and is made of sandstone.

One of the Metro stations is also named Zero Mile.

Talking of Metro, I took a joy ride in the Metro to the Airport and back, and found the occupancy pretty appreciable in spite of it being a Sunday. This metro also goes over the viaduct  which is Asia's longest multilayer viaduct.

From Nagpur we drove down to Tadoba. The drive itself was enjoyable, especially the rustic countryside. One has to make way for bullock carts and cattle crossing the path but a little patience makes it a win-win situation.

It is good to see children going to school, either by foot or on bicycle.

We halted at a place known as "Tathastu" and I liked the service and ambiance of the place. Their restaurant was named Foodpecker and the bar was named "Bottleneck"

There was a crooner by the name of Ahatesham who entertained us with his guitar.

I made a separate video on him. 
Most of the visitors go to Tadoba with the intention of sighting a Tiger.  We were lucky to see many wild animals and birds.This tall Nilgai was intrigued by our presence.

The black buck looked majestic.

The blending of the Owl with the bark of the tree was perfect.

The darter had a way to dry his wings as can be seen in the video.

The open bill stork looked pretty in the tall grass

The bamboo trees had flowered well and the guide said that next year there is going to be a dense bamboo jungle. He said the last flowering happened 45 years ago.

The video will give you a better picture especially of the leopard walking across to join its mate in the shade.   

World Bicycle Day

June 3rd happens to be World Bicycle Day

Many all over the world can't freely participate in a rally or race due to the Covid19 restrictions that are still in place in some countries. 

The present bicycle has evolved after many trial and error methods during the course of time.

In the olden days the cycles had dynamos. The power generated by it was good enough for the head lamp to light up the road, but the flip side was that it reduced your speed due to the friction of the dynamo on the tyre.

Nowadays you get the strap on headlamp which is more powerful and can be recharged in an hour or so with a USB cable.

You can easily remove it from the handlebar by which the fear of theft can be eliminated.

On a day to day use it was more practical to transport things, like these workers transporting broom.

If you have the right cargo basket you can transport heavier and bigger items

Or a simple basket to transport bakery items.

Whoever thought of this idea of converting a clog into a carrier (pic by  Henk Overbeeke)

Many use the bicycle as a decorative piece for their shop.

Someone had some good design skills to come up with this design as a bike rack (pic by Brian Cairns) 

Or as an architectural piece to decorate their terrace.

The health benefits of cycling is something that cannot be ignored and this picture explains it well.

The best way to encourage children in cycling is to teach them at an early age.

Taking them for a joy ride is another way.

Safety should be the first priority when you try to transport more kids.

Some countries encourage cycling by providing cycles on hire from point A to point B. It is a win win situation for both the government and the citizens.

In some countries cycles are very popular but they also have the perennial problem of cycle parts getting stolen.

A couple of decades ago one needed a permit to drive a cycle on the roads which had to be renewed every year. In the late sixties that was abolished. The common sparrow taking a break.

Before you venture out make sure that all the nuts are properly tightened. Once I lost my side stand because I ignored the loose nut fastening it and the stand fell off somewhere along the way !!

Don't feel shy to show the age old hand signals. Who knows, it may save you from a broken limb. (Pic by Richard)

If you are venturing out alone, carry some ID. In case of any eventuality, they will know whom to contact.

A simple sketch for those who want to try it out.

Avoid showing antics on the road or sidewalk. It is risky for you as well as for the pedestrians.

The pom pom horn on the cycle has been replaced by the tring bell which is more effective.

Tandem cycling is another option and it is fun when there are two on a cycle. Reminds me of the song by Nat King Cole - Daisy Daisy, on a bicycle built for two.

Another picture of Tandem cycling where the photographer Mary Kay Nitchie has succesfully done a pan shot.

I have seen the bride's entry in different forms, like in a car, or a motorbike or in a buggy, but yet to see one come on a bicycle.

Or the bride and the groom taking off on a bicycle.(Pic by Sven)

If it is Christmas season then we can make it a little colourful.(Pic by Sean)

The happy happy stuffed toys and the sunlight makes this lively but the addition of the cycle gives it a sense of motion, as if to say "we are going places" (Pic by Albert)

It is nice to see a family pedaling down the road together. This was clicked in Central Park in May 2021 by Lardfr1

Romance is always in the air, be it in Black & White or in colour (Pic by Ian Spoard)

Allow your child to cavort on the cycle with his/her friends. They will have memories which will be cherished for a lifetime.(Pic by Rex Deveraturda) 

We all know how the simple cycle came to the rescue in India a few decades ago.

Finally I must say that if you have the will, then the mountain is the limit. .Photo credit Or maybe just cross the bridge and ride into the horizon (Pic by Yulia)

Photo credit Photo credit 2 Photo credit 3