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Today is Earth Day, a special day dedicated to our mother Earth. I didn’t knew about this day until I saw the Google Doodle today morning at 12:15 (around-ish).

When I looked it up, I saw the ways to participate in this event :

Cycle ? That’s my favorite thing besides coding. It’s a way I could relax and exercise without losing the fun.

I had this plan long before to go Westwards and reach the beach. In my place, going West is nearer to reach the seashore than going in any other directions.

I looked up on Google Maps (of course) and found the way to reach the place faster with less distance. First, I wanted to go alone. But, going this much distance provoked my parents and said No! So, I went with my dad on a motorbike.

Google Navigation certainly helped and we reached the place.

^ This happened about one year ago. I can’t remember the date.

Today, I went alone on my bicycle. My Mom asked me not to do it, but I went on. My GOD, it was one hell of a trip !

This is the path I took.

I left the house at 4 PM with these :

A bottle of Water

Purse

Phone

And of course the cycle !

The starting of the trip did not go as I planned. Going about 20 Meters, I realized the tyres didn’t have enough air. So, I went back and filled it. How idiotic I was !

It was then alright. I calmly rode the cycle without any problem until I traveled about 8 KMs (5 Miles). The cycle was moving slowly even though I gave the strength it needed. Then I realized the air inside the front tyre was less.

I then started to walk instead of riding it. I entered into a house in which a kid was in the porch with his cycle. I asked him if there was a cycle pump. He said "No". I only had a little more to go to reach the destination.

I din’t give up and went on walking. To my surprise, a man in the fifties smiled at me. I don’t know the guy and haven’t even met him before, yet he smiled. I saw that there were no cycle inside, but still I asked if there was a cycle pump.

He said, "Let me look" and I entered into the porch of the house. He was searching for the pump in the house. To my surprise, he looked for a while and brought me a pump. I didn’t expected a stranger to be this nice.

The air entered the back tyre finely. But, the air kept coming out in the front one. Alas ! another problem. I was like "I’m screwed". A conversation was started :

The Kind Guy : Did it work fine ? Me : No, the air is not getting inside the front tyre. The Kind Guy : It's probably because that the wal tube is damaged Me : Hmmm... The Kind Guy : Where are you from ? Me : Kunnamkulam The Kind Guy : Kunnamkulam !!! From all the way there ? Why did you come here for ? Me : I came here to go to the beach (Smiles) The Kind Guy : Oh ! (Smiles back) How will you bring the cycle back to Kunnamkulam ? Me : Is there a bicycle shop near ? The Kind Guy : Yeah, it's in the junction

You should know, people like me who goes on these "long trips" on a cycle is considered CRAZY.

I said Thanks and went back to the junction to find the cycle shop. I fixed the tyre for 5 Rupees (0.075 USD). I went ahead.

After a while (about 2 KMs), I found the air inside the back tyre was also becoming less. Shit…Shit…Shit. I should have went back, fix it and come back. But, I went on as there is also another junction coming up… That was a really stupid mistake.

The cycle shop on the next junction was closed. I’m screwed again. Meanwhile, the air inside the tyre was going out.

I went on and reached the destination. The feeling I had in my mind cannot be expressed in words !!!

The confidence and happiness I had at that point was the highest I ever had. I’m normally a shy person (but not too shy), but there I confidently asked a boy to take a photo of me with the cycle :

I couldn’t stay there for a long time as I reached at 5:30 PM and it becomes dark by 7 PM. It took me 1 and a half hour to reach here. How the hell am I gonna reach back with this tiredness and fatigues legs ? Also, I need to hurry to get my back tyre fixed.

So, I quickly left after staying for 15 Minutes. After a while, most of the air inside the tyre had gone and the cycle was jumping when the wal tube part hit the ground.

If I continued this "jumping journey", the tube inside would become flat. I’m long away from home and my dad isn’t at home yet from work. I’m trapped. But, I continued walking and sometimes I rode the cycle with the flat tire even though it can damage the tyre from fixing.

A guy from North Indian said in Hindi :

ये पन्जर है !

meaning "The tyre is punctured". The vast diversity of people Kerala have !

After some more while at 6:15 PM, I reached the same shop where I had fixed my front tyre. The first time I came, the old man there gave me a balance of 5 Rupees. Now, to fix the back tyre, I gave back the same coins I once got from him ! Ah, the irony !

It was a miracle that the shop didn’t close even after 6 PM. Incidents like this make you believe in GOD.

Now, with the two tyres fixed, I was able to reach my house at 6:45 PM. The return trip took only 1 Hour.

I’m glad that I took this trip. But, I’m never gonna go this much distance again. I was very much lucky this time.

Now, I have a story to remember in my life. Guys and gals, make memorable moments in your like. You shouldn’t have any regrets when you die.

🙂