Finally started to feel more comfortable

So today was one of the best days that I have had so far in Bangalore. I woke up pretty early and read a little bit then got ready for a ride. While I was getting ready I received a really awesome phone call. That definitely made the day a lot better.

So I showered and drank a bunch of water then hit the road. I went toward the city a different way than I had last weekend. The traffic was much more tolerable in this direction. The roads were wider and I was pleasantly satisfied with the 5 or 6 traffic lights I encountered on my way into the city. Traffic lights here are red from about 2 or 3 minutes so the traffic back up is terrible, but I can snake my way through the traffic much easier than the mopeds. Sometimes, there is even a sidewalk to use.

I was feeling a bit shaky during my ride, so I stopped at this place where some guy was selling fresh watermelon and bananas off of his bicycle. So for 10 rupees (~25 cents) I had 2 pieces of watermelon and a banana. I walked a few feet and grabbed some fresh coconut water. By fresh I mean they cut the top off the coconut and give you a straw to drink the water. When you are finished the juice, you give them the coconut back and they cut it in half and scoop out the fruit for you to eat. This cost me another 10 rupees. I forged on after this much needed snack.

The smog is a huge bother while riding around here especially at higher elevations than I am used to. I have gone to two of the local chemists near my hotel, but neither of them stock pollution masks. On my way, I randomly stopped at a chemist who thankfully stocked the masks. They make riding a lot easier, but not having the wind in your face is a saddening downside.

I finally found my way to the major shopping centers of the city. I made my way to Commercial St. and MG Road. I didn’t stop anywhere because I still haven’t figured out where I can lock my bicycle up. There were some parks and lakes that I had intended to stop by, but my legs were shaky from the ride there. I wasn’t sure how my legs would hold up on the ride back. I took a rest and marked up my map so that I would have my bearings for my next excursion into the city. Finally, I headed back toward Whitefield. The ride back was all downhill! I knew that my legs felt really tired from the ride toward city and now I realize that it is basically a steady climb all the way.

I came back to the hotel , relaxed and did some work for the upcoming week. Tomorrow I may trek back into the city to actually take some pictures. It is really awkward taking out my camera because I am immediately swarmed by school children which generally causes to big of a scene for me to be comfortable with. I need to find something to circumvent this so I can take my time taking flicks.