For friends in India.
Occasional photos to show what it’s like in England.
Step one London.
Ben, Alice and Poppy live in north London
The roads are busy
First impressions on arriving on Thursday. Manjula realised how diverse London is on her first visit. The local shop near our friend Gina and Angus’s house was run by Punjabs
Here on Haringay Green lanes it’s residents include people from Poland, Turkey and Asia, including India.
Next: Shopping locally.
I’m remembering last years visit and thinking through what I’ll do this time. All rather last minute.
I’ll definitely go camping again this trip, hopefully with my son Oliver and Rachel.
In 2022 I revisited Dorset where we had a family camp on Manjula’s second holiday in England.
Isn’t she pretty?
Stolen
… in Mount Pleasant Vancouver. Please pass this information on to help locate her. there’s a reward of cash or a free cycle tour and accommodation in Mysore, flight not included. 🤭
I’d planned to bring her back to London and then onto India after she was given to me by my son while holidaying in Canada in July 2022.
There’s more of our history here.
She’s distinctive with her yellow frame, white wheels and pretend leather saddle. She has a single front rim brake.
I’ve now flown back but can arrange to pick her up or have her transported when we find her.
My son Oliver Farrell is the proprietor of ‘Feel Good Everyday’ near the railway (train) station in Vancouver and can be contacted there or online. Please email me at sfindia@gmail.com
We’ve listed details here
Manufactured by Regal Bicycles in Toronto, she was known as ‘Count’ over ten years ago as a single gear fixie but now she has the addition of three speed gears and coaster brake and so we named her Trixie
I lead city Mcycle tours and host Mysore Bed and Breakfast in South India.
My experience was otherwise very positive in Canada.
Drivers keep to the lane and stop for pedestrians at zebra crossings and side roads.
Considerate Canadians helping out.
That’s nice.
Postscript
While I was out and preparing this posting someone came round (or maybe overnight) and stole Trixie, my new friend. So not all Canadians are good apples.
I’m visiting one of the Sari Sisters, a group of women cyclists from Vancouver Island.
They came to India stayed with us and cycled from Mysore to Cochin.
This is my third visit. Lise and Michael kindly ‘put me up’
I’ve had a wonderful few days exploring Victoria, the capital of BC and cycling along the Galloping Goose Trail.
Victoria and the island (as long as England!) is a great place
Cyclists are catered for with cycle routes, great maps, considerate drivers and safe secure places to leave your cycle
With random deer, not cows.
Trixie was with me all the way.
Meet Trixie… My new friend has taken me in and around Vancouver city, to the sea and across to Vancouver Island.
Every time I visit Vancouver I’m reminded of the politeness. How people greet each other; how drivers generally behave and give way to pedestrians especially on side roads; and how it’s institutions respect and respond to their communities.
Even cyclists and their bikes are carefully catered for.
But…
Trixie isn’t all that she seems.
Originally manufactured by ‘Regal Cycles’ over ten years ago. Known as ‘the Count’ she was a Fixie or fixed gear but after some tinkering she was transformed with a new set of handlebars, 3 speed hub gears and a coaster brake.
Trixie is fab and served me well, I’d love to adopt her, provide a Brooks saddle and take her home.
Photos for everyone but especially my Indian friends to show how different it is here.
In and around the city.
A seagull harassing a family
The city is surrounded by mountains and sea.
Toilets are for everyone, obviously.
Reminded of this wonderful city, visiting my youngest son Oliver, first time in three years.
Well done Ol, great success, I’m so impressed
As everywhere it somehow stimulates memories of elsewhere. I last visited shortly after Manjula died.
One of Margaret Thatcher’s preferred tools was to scare us shitless by revealing a terrible plan. This enabled her to more easily get agreement to do something that seemed only half as bad.
Johnson has another favourite, from the Tory tool box.
He creates a cloud of confusion, like the airforce plane that throws out flack so the missile misses its target, he launches dead cats and kittens, custard pie distractions to keep the pressure up and to help him get through inane policies that help the very few that already ‘have’. The opposition misses its target and the general population is worn down, losing the will to live.
The so-called ‘culture wars’ is part of this, the latest being the decimation of the Civil Service and destruction of effective governance.
What are they doing? Taking the piss. They (the govt/ruling party/oligarchy/elite) — delete as appropriate— seem to have become so comfortable and confident in their domination of the masses that they can’t be bothered to hide how they use their power with complete disregard for the impact on what in India they call the ‘common man.’ We get what we deserve and of course none of it is anything to do with Brexit, that con to help them keep their millions.. Thanks Marina for the entertainment as the titanic sinks.
You decide
A mish mash, some might say eclectic
Useful sources of information to help us think things through
They’re videos, personally, I need a rest from reading books.
Posted 20th March 2022
The first featuring a British comedian, is about the pandemic but I’m not a believer in conspiracies. That doesn’t mean that we’re not manipulated. The pharma companies are bleeding us, should be regulated and their profits limited.
His videos are about sharing information to help us form our opinions and realise how the world works.
..
I’m really impressed by this writer. His book Sapiens helped me rethink the development of humans and to realise how significant storytelling is in how we lived in our earliest days, and now, how integral stories are to our identities, to our collaboration, which affects every aspect of our lives
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This video is about the Ukraine but reveals his thinking about what the current situation reveals about all our societies, being both positive and hopeful.
Me and MYCycle 