Failure isn't always a bad thing
A very fascinating article indeed. Sometimes it is so difficult to continuously maintain the thought and breeze through. Some neat equations were brought up in this article. Several more relationships come to my mind when I think about it is. They are :
1. Balance of Courage (B) ∝ 1/(Degree of Failure (D))
That means, many times we take riskless chances and when they do not work, we say, that is fine. This is because we did not lose much. When we have chances that carry some degree of loss with them, what is the level of courage that supports us to take the chance?
2. Amount of Learning (L) (if you can come out of failure) ∝ D^n where ^ is power of, and n can be any integer
This has always been true. In the end, it might have sounded like "Ahh... this is so simple", but the problem may not really have been that simple. In retrospect everything is perfect. Isnt it? But when we fail again and improve and fail and improve and fail and improve, a neural network system is working that is continuously learning.
3. B = f(Social Factors, Inner Soul, ..)
Our decision to take chance, our decision to take risk and our desire to dream big gets impacted by so many social factors, inner resistances, fear of failure and so on. But when that indomitable passion dominates, nothing can stop one from taking all kinds of chances. That passion keeps telling the person that there is nothing to loose. So go for it.
More on this to follow if I feel ...
Monday, January 28, 2008
Part V - In Mangalore and Return
In Mangalore
After reaching mangalore around 10 a.m in the morning, we were thinking what to do? As expected, nothing was planned for this leg. Lots of things to do though. First and the foremost was to try was a train reservation to bangalore. Folks told me that the bus journey is horrible and should be avoided. But well we couldnt be choosers at that moment and decided to just book some reservation and try our luck. As expected, it was on waiting list. Once that done, the next most important thing for the hungry souls was breakfast. Went straight to taj Manjuran without realizing where we are headed to. Ordered some idlis. I am not sure what special were these but 2 idlis definitely cost me Rs. 180. :-) Just so you know I am not a miser. But I cannot justify certain things too.
After breakfast, we decided that we will not roam around to all the places possible. Rather, we wanted to go to one place where we can peacefully sit. Without knowing whether we will get peace or not, we decided to go to Kadri Manjunath temple. As we got down the autorickshaw, we started looking around to see where is Kadri Manjunath temple that was so much talked about in travel books. It was a small gopuram from outside. We looked at each other and thought what a hype this could be.
BUT WE WERE WRONG. This was a huge complex inside. That explained why this temple is talked so much about. There were many temples inside this complex. And it was not crowded. It was peaceful. It was like the playing compound of a house that reminded me of my grandparents house. We slowly walked around, visiting each and every temple in the complex, resting under the trees wherever possible. Some of the beautiful aspects of this temple were :
As we were stepping out of Kadri Manjunath temple, we were thinking that may be this has been the best place we have visited. Where there was so much of peace and tranquility. And we thought, no visit to Mangalore could be complete without visiting this blissful place.
Return
Well!!as we were expecting, we could not get our reservation confirmed. So rather than waiting long, holding hands of TT, greasing his hands, we thought we would rather come back by bus. And guess what, we got the last two seats of the last Airavath bus that was available from Mangalore to Bangalore. Holiday return rush huh!! And man that was one painful bus journey. Throughout it seemed to me as if the driver was on a suicide mission with all of us rallying behind him :-) No it was not fun. All the body parts went for a toss. My wife's sandals skid and went to the front of the bus. There was this AC exhaust or somethign that was right under my leg. And throught the night I would step on it, burn my leg , wake up and then go back to sleep. :-) Believe me, that was not fun. So go for a train if you can.
Summary
After reaching mangalore around 10 a.m in the morning, we were thinking what to do? As expected, nothing was planned for this leg. Lots of things to do though. First and the foremost was to try was a train reservation to bangalore. Folks told me that the bus journey is horrible and should be avoided. But well we couldnt be choosers at that moment and decided to just book some reservation and try our luck. As expected, it was on waiting list. Once that done, the next most important thing for the hungry souls was breakfast. Went straight to taj Manjuran without realizing where we are headed to. Ordered some idlis. I am not sure what special were these but 2 idlis definitely cost me Rs. 180. :-) Just so you know I am not a miser. But I cannot justify certain things too.
After breakfast, we decided that we will not roam around to all the places possible. Rather, we wanted to go to one place where we can peacefully sit. Without knowing whether we will get peace or not, we decided to go to Kadri Manjunath temple. As we got down the autorickshaw, we started looking around to see where is Kadri Manjunath temple that was so much talked about in travel books. It was a small gopuram from outside. We looked at each other and thought what a hype this could be.
BUT WE WERE WRONG. This was a huge complex inside. That explained why this temple is talked so much about. There were many temples inside this complex. And it was not crowded. It was peaceful. It was like the playing compound of a house that reminded me of my grandparents house. We slowly walked around, visiting each and every temple in the complex, resting under the trees wherever possible. Some of the beautiful aspects of this temple were :
- No restrictions on cameras and camcorders
- Not crowded
- Peaceful
- Lots of shades to take rest
- Awesome free lunch
As we were stepping out of Kadri Manjunath temple, we were thinking that may be this has been the best place we have visited. Where there was so much of peace and tranquility. And we thought, no visit to Mangalore could be complete without visiting this blissful place.
Return
Well!!as we were expecting, we could not get our reservation confirmed. So rather than waiting long, holding hands of TT, greasing his hands, we thought we would rather come back by bus. And guess what, we got the last two seats of the last Airavath bus that was available from Mangalore to Bangalore. Holiday return rush huh!! And man that was one painful bus journey. Throughout it seemed to me as if the driver was on a suicide mission with all of us rallying behind him :-) No it was not fun. All the body parts went for a toss. My wife's sandals skid and went to the front of the bus. There was this AC exhaust or somethign that was right under my leg. And throught the night I would step on it, burn my leg , wake up and then go back to sleep. :-) Believe me, that was not fun. So go for a train if you can.
Summary
- Overall fun trip. But tiresome
- If you visit Mangalore, make sure you drop by K M temple and spend some time here in introspection
- If you are returning to Bangalore, return by train.
- This travelogue ends here. If you are planning a trip to the regions I have shared my experiences with, please feel free to contact me if you need any more information. Adios on the travelogue till my next travel.
- Keep reading this blog for other topics and my intelligent view points :-) Yeah Right!!
Friday, January 18, 2008
Part IV - Bekal Fort Trip
Murudeshwar to Mangalore
Verna - Mangalore passenger train passes through Gokarna and Murudeshwar on its way to Mangalore. So when leaving Murudeshwar, we decided to catch the same train to Mangalore. The train was 1 hour late when it reached Murudeshwar. It was supposed to take around 3 hours to reach Mangalore but it delayed further and by the time we reached Mangalore I think it was almost 10:00 p.m. We were definitely very tired due to constant roaming around and extreme heat. The fact that the remaining part of the journey was pretty much open ended and unplanned was making it further difficult in deciding what to do. What ensued was a high voice debate with hungry stomach. First we thought we will just stay the next day in Mangalore and then come back to Bangalore. But it was already very late and the hotels were charging too much. So we thought, to hell with staying in hotels tonight. We decided to move ahead and travel to Bekal Fort.
Mangalore to Kanhangad
Once decide, I went to the enquiry to find out if there is a train to Kanhangad. The next train was only at 4:00 a.m and that was Parashuram Express from Mangalore to Trivandrum. Kanhangad was the third stop after Mangalore. So we waited at the Mangalore station till 4:00 am. What was comforting was that, unlike other stations, here there were no repeating advertisements on TVs. Rather, there were some nice songs playing on FM radio. That was nice time pass. But one horrible thing was too many mosquitoes. Good that we had Odomas with us. So I put it on everywhere on my body and was very happy to see the mosquitoes getting repelled away :-) . Throughout the night we were half asleep and half awake. By the time, the train left at 4:00 a.m, we were unable to open our eyes and were scared that we might miss Kanhangad. But thankfully, I could keep my senses alert and got down at Kanhangad after around an hour of departure from Mangalore. With whatever eyes open, I knew for sure that this journey was fantastic with full moon lighting up the vast sea like a silver plate and coconut trees decorating the sea coast. Oh what a view it was. Just plain brilliant and the only feeling was to just to sleep on a boat in the middle of the sea in that beautiful full moon.
In Kanhangad
We reached around 5:30 a.m. It was pitch dark, the place completely unknown but the station, though small was sweet and well lit. As we came, there was only one auto. All we said was Hotel Bekal International. He nodded his head in NO. But it was actually a yes. So we got in having no clue where we are being taken. But pretty soon, we were brought to Hotel Bekal International. The hotel room was around Rs. 300. But it was pretty ordinary. After taking a short nap, waking up, freshening up, having breakfast, we took a small stroll in the hot sun to reach a bus that was to take us to the Bekal fort. It took us around 20 minutes by bus to reach the Bekal fort. The place huge. We got excited to see the fort and I started clicking around with my camera :-) Then we reached the gate and there you go. Rs. 25 for camera and Rs. 25 for cam corder. The Government has to squeeze money out at every chance it has. Well we paid and went in. Aww!!! did we come at a wrong time? Where is the green grass? Why is it all yellow? May be Maniratnam shot his movie in the rainy season. Thats true!! The hero and heroine were all seemed to be drenched in that movie :-) Well, the fact is, it was not as close to how it was portrayed in the movie. So the smart thing is to go during monsoons and get drenched. Thats when the fun is. But the beauty was the view of the ocean. After the fort, we went to the beach. And here again, Rs. 25 for camera and Rs. 25 for camcorder. :-( Later we came to know that there is a side way to escape this pain. :-) So if you are visiting the beach, look for the side way. We came out via the side way.
By the time we finished visiting the fort and the beach and came out, it was almost 3:00 p.m. Tired, no food, hungry. Went to hotel and took some rest. We were now like in the mood to just get back home in Bangalore. That was 24th December. Christmas eve.
Return to Mangalore
On 25th, we took the early morning train from Kanhangad to Mangalore. Now it was daylight and a beautiful train ride along the sea coast.
Summary
Verna - Mangalore passenger train passes through Gokarna and Murudeshwar on its way to Mangalore. So when leaving Murudeshwar, we decided to catch the same train to Mangalore. The train was 1 hour late when it reached Murudeshwar. It was supposed to take around 3 hours to reach Mangalore but it delayed further and by the time we reached Mangalore I think it was almost 10:00 p.m. We were definitely very tired due to constant roaming around and extreme heat. The fact that the remaining part of the journey was pretty much open ended and unplanned was making it further difficult in deciding what to do. What ensued was a high voice debate with hungry stomach. First we thought we will just stay the next day in Mangalore and then come back to Bangalore. But it was already very late and the hotels were charging too much. So we thought, to hell with staying in hotels tonight. We decided to move ahead and travel to Bekal Fort.
Mangalore to Kanhangad
Once decide, I went to the enquiry to find out if there is a train to Kanhangad. The next train was only at 4:00 a.m and that was Parashuram Express from Mangalore to Trivandrum. Kanhangad was the third stop after Mangalore. So we waited at the Mangalore station till 4:00 am. What was comforting was that, unlike other stations, here there were no repeating advertisements on TVs. Rather, there were some nice songs playing on FM radio. That was nice time pass. But one horrible thing was too many mosquitoes. Good that we had Odomas with us. So I put it on everywhere on my body and was very happy to see the mosquitoes getting repelled away :-) . Throughout the night we were half asleep and half awake. By the time, the train left at 4:00 a.m, we were unable to open our eyes and were scared that we might miss Kanhangad. But thankfully, I could keep my senses alert and got down at Kanhangad after around an hour of departure from Mangalore. With whatever eyes open, I knew for sure that this journey was fantastic with full moon lighting up the vast sea like a silver plate and coconut trees decorating the sea coast. Oh what a view it was. Just plain brilliant and the only feeling was to just to sleep on a boat in the middle of the sea in that beautiful full moon.
In Kanhangad
We reached around 5:30 a.m. It was pitch dark, the place completely unknown but the station, though small was sweet and well lit. As we came, there was only one auto. All we said was Hotel Bekal International. He nodded his head in NO. But it was actually a yes. So we got in having no clue where we are being taken. But pretty soon, we were brought to Hotel Bekal International. The hotel room was around Rs. 300. But it was pretty ordinary. After taking a short nap, waking up, freshening up, having breakfast, we took a small stroll in the hot sun to reach a bus that was to take us to the Bekal fort. It took us around 20 minutes by bus to reach the Bekal fort. The place huge. We got excited to see the fort and I started clicking around with my camera :-) Then we reached the gate and there you go. Rs. 25 for camera and Rs. 25 for cam corder. The Government has to squeeze money out at every chance it has. Well we paid and went in. Aww!!! did we come at a wrong time? Where is the green grass? Why is it all yellow? May be Maniratnam shot his movie in the rainy season. Thats true!! The hero and heroine were all seemed to be drenched in that movie :-) Well, the fact is, it was not as close to how it was portrayed in the movie. So the smart thing is to go during monsoons and get drenched. Thats when the fun is. But the beauty was the view of the ocean. After the fort, we went to the beach. And here again, Rs. 25 for camera and Rs. 25 for camcorder. :-( Later we came to know that there is a side way to escape this pain. :-) So if you are visiting the beach, look for the side way. We came out via the side way.
By the time we finished visiting the fort and the beach and came out, it was almost 3:00 p.m. Tired, no food, hungry. Went to hotel and took some rest. We were now like in the mood to just get back home in Bangalore. That was 24th December. Christmas eve.
Return to Mangalore
On 25th, we took the early morning train from Kanhangad to Mangalore. Now it was daylight and a beautiful train ride along the sea coast.
Summary
- Murudeshwar to Mangalore by Verna passenger train
- Mangalore to Kanhangad by Parashuram express or some earlier train. Just find it out.
- To come back from Kanhangad to Mangalore, there are tons of trains
- Bekal International is Ok. Not that great.
- Dont go in summers. By the way, we went in winter and winter is literally undefined. :-) It was so hot that it does not qualify to be called winter.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Part III - Murudeshwar Trip
Gokarna To Murudeshwar
As I mentioned, the train from Gokarna to Murudeshwar was supposed to reach Murudeshwar at 5 p.m. But the train got delayed and we reached Murudeshwar around 7:30 p.m. It was dark enough. We thought it will some good size enough railway station that will have some autorickshaws waiting outside. To our surprise, it was pitch dark outside and the railways station was right on the highway. So all we could see were the trucks breezing away. With many other passengers we came out of the railways station and stood on the highway with a hope to see an autorickshaw guy. Luckily we saw one coming and got it since we were standing closest top him :-)
At Murudeshwar
The RNS Guest House where we stayed was pretty close to the railway station. So, the auto guy breezed to the RNS guest house. The majestic Shiva statue was right near the RNS guest house and surrounded by sea. After the formalities, we quickly checked into the hotel and freshened ourselves up.
Naveen Restaurant was adjoining to the guest house on one side and sea on the other. We had some good but very little food there. Not because we wanted little. We were desperately hungry. But you have to have the food there to believe how little they serve. :-)
It was already around 10 p.m by the time we had dinner. So we spent some time just sitting and relaxing at the footsteps of shiva statue.
Next morning, we took some snaps, moved around the Shiva statue, had lunch and then left in the afternoon. The place was under construction. So we could not completely go around the statue. I must also say that Murudeshwar beach is not that impressive. To be frank it was dirty. May be because it is much more commercialized and too many people with little sense of maintaining clean surrounding. So half a day was enough for Murudeshwar.
Murudeshwar to Mangalore
We took the Verna-Mangalore passenger at Murudeshwar for Mangalore. The train was moving fast enough in the beginning but slowed down gradually to reach Mangalore only at around 10:00 p.m. What to do next? Should stay overnight at Mangalore? Should we continue our trip further to Bekal Fort? What happens when in dilemma? An obvious argument and a fight . Thats what happened between me and my wife :-) And it is a very wrong time to argue with her when she is hungry. :-) After trying some hotels in Mangalore (with an obvious wish not to get any room), we decided to go to Bekal.
Summary
To be Continued...
As I mentioned, the train from Gokarna to Murudeshwar was supposed to reach Murudeshwar at 5 p.m. But the train got delayed and we reached Murudeshwar around 7:30 p.m. It was dark enough. We thought it will some good size enough railway station that will have some autorickshaws waiting outside. To our surprise, it was pitch dark outside and the railways station was right on the highway. So all we could see were the trucks breezing away. With many other passengers we came out of the railways station and stood on the highway with a hope to see an autorickshaw guy. Luckily we saw one coming and got it since we were standing closest top him :-)
At Murudeshwar
The RNS Guest House where we stayed was pretty close to the railway station. So, the auto guy breezed to the RNS guest house. The majestic Shiva statue was right near the RNS guest house and surrounded by sea. After the formalities, we quickly checked into the hotel and freshened ourselves up.
Naveen Restaurant was adjoining to the guest house on one side and sea on the other. We had some good but very little food there. Not because we wanted little. We were desperately hungry. But you have to have the food there to believe how little they serve. :-)
It was already around 10 p.m by the time we had dinner. So we spent some time just sitting and relaxing at the footsteps of shiva statue.
Next morning, we took some snaps, moved around the Shiva statue, had lunch and then left in the afternoon. The place was under construction. So we could not completely go around the statue. I must also say that Murudeshwar beach is not that impressive. To be frank it was dirty. May be because it is much more commercialized and too many people with little sense of maintaining clean surrounding. So half a day was enough for Murudeshwar.
Murudeshwar to Mangalore
We took the Verna-Mangalore passenger at Murudeshwar for Mangalore. The train was moving fast enough in the beginning but slowed down gradually to reach Mangalore only at around 10:00 p.m. What to do next? Should stay overnight at Mangalore? Should we continue our trip further to Bekal Fort? What happens when in dilemma? An obvious argument and a fight . Thats what happened between me and my wife :-) And it is a very wrong time to argue with her when she is hungry. :-) After trying some hotels in Mangalore (with an obvious wish not to get any room), we decided to go to Bekal.
Summary
- Gokarna to Murudeshwar by Verna Passenger in the evening
- Enjoy the sea and Shiva statue at Murudeshwar
- Murudeshwar to Mangalore by Verna Passenger
To be Continued...
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