September 2018

Months after having registered, we almost forgot about the event. Somehow the wife ensured we were on top of the situation. That’s a good thing because we ended up having a lovely 24 hours in the muddy trails of Sakleshpur. Enjoy the images and then the video!

Being completely unprepared, I had forgotten to charge the GoPro which means most of the videos came from cell phones either held in hand or mounted on the windscreen at a weird angle. Yeah, I did not do a good job on that front.

Despite that, I really hope you will enjoy the video as much as we enjoyed actually crossing the obstacles. If you are considering going to a Great Escape event, don’t think. Just go ahead.

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Cost of the pallet. A princely Rs 350. If you are looking for reclaimed wood, you can bag as much as possible for Rs 45 a kilogram. You will, of course, have to do a lot of fishing yourself.

Forgot taking a picture before I starting working on it. I began by removing the top panels to shorten the height of the pallet.

Gave it a solid scrubbing to get rid of the grime, dust, cobwebs and sundry splinters. No fancy materials needed here since this is going to be exposed to elements anyway. Just old fashioned elbow grease with a bit of Scotch Brite.

Next, cut-off the excess wood on the top to bring it to the desired height. This one needed to be low enough for the wifey to admire and water comfortably. The jigsaw did most of the work. The handsaw came in when the space became a bit too tight.

Nice. The top is now smooth and ready for the next steps.

Time to wrap up the top. Drilled a few pilot holes and re-used the panels removed from the top to create the fence for the top row.

Time to create the base for our planter. Depending on the kind of pallet you pick up, you may not need to do this step but mine came as a rather empty skeleton.

I had some old inch thick wood panels lying around which just happened to fit perfectly the space between the back and front of the pallet. Turn the pallet upside down to access the bottom. Add some glue to the sides and push in for a really snug fit. Clamp it to make sure the glue holds. Take the time to put in a few screws for a really strong hold. Rinse and repeat till you have all the bases.

Turn it back right side up. Your pallet is now ready to accept plants.

But before you put your plants in it, you need to add a lining to the inside of the compartments. The lining will hold the soil together but allow the roots to breathe. You can get lining at your local garden store but we decided to take the up-cycling ethos a notch higher.

Denim is extremely sturdy, breathes very well and looks fantastic. Out come a pair of old blue jeans which, thanks to the wife, are now too big for my waist. Cut it to size so there are no nooks from where soil can leak out. Plaster in some Fevicol and we are in business.

Now comes the fun part – selecting plants!

I have been cagey about putting plants too close to each other fearing they won’t have space to pick up nutrients. But with a pallet planter, the trick is to plant them close together so they give a busy feel. Mix and match a few tall flowering plants with some bushy short plants. Go crazy with colours. Play with shrubs, tall flowers and creepers for the right effect for you. Just remember to choose plants that will go with the location you intend to put this planter in. This is your canvas. Make it interesting.

We chose to go for yellow, red and white creepers on top which will flow down for lovely sinuous feel. The middle row gets short shrubs with green and blue colours. In the bottom row (where the root section is taller), we went for a chrysanthemum, ficus and Persian violet for a riot of colours.

The planting is a bit tricky due to the cramped space. If your plants are mature (like ours were), the root ball will likely be bigger than the space in the pallet. Be gentle as you remove excess soil and try not to damage the roots themselves. Try and get the root as deep as possible. Fill it up with compost rich soil and give them a thorough soak.

Your planter is now ready! Depending on the kind of plants you have chosen, find a place for your new planter in a balcony or on your roof. Remember to give your plants a dose of liquid fertiliser every 15 days since there isn’t enough soil to feed nutrients to your plants.

Keep up-cycling!

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Mirissa is only short drive away from Galle. We asked our regular tuk tuk driver to take us. The chill ride through sleepy beachside towns was quite refreshing.

We had arrived early. Our hotel room will not be available for at least a few hours. No point wasting time. We headed straight to Mirissa Dive Center for a spot of scuba diving.

Neither me nor wifey have dived before and it scares both of us just a bit. After what was a never ending wait, our dive masters are ready for us. We get our gear on and head to the shallow waters for a discovery dive. I am first in the water. The initial 5 minutes are proper scary and I cannot get my mind to relax. Wifey does significantly better even though she has only just learnt swimming. Soon, I catch on. The water is a bit muddy and there aren’t too many fish or coral here. The beach itself isn’t too far and there are too many boats around. Not the best spot visibility wise. We dive to a depth of 8 metres for what felt like an hour (actually it was more like 20 minutes). The dive masters stayed with us throughout and were excellent at getting us to relax and enjoy. Wifey also confirms that they felt very safe to work with.

All in all, I was happy. Wife was a little underwhelmed. We would have loved to see more fish or just have clearer waters but I guess we will leave it for the next time. Would very much recommend these guys if you intend to head that way.

We ended the day with drinks at the buzzing Mirissa beach. So many shacks. So much music. Perfect end to the day.

The next day we were up for a spot for whale watching. The seas south of Sri Lanka are teeming with blue whales and their relatively smaller cousins. From being poached heavily, the whales have now become the source of sustenance for a lot of boat crews in Mirissa. Every morning at 6, a dozen or so boats leave harbour in search of the elusive and shy blue whales. Sightings are quite common but the day before had passed without any sightings.

We are riding with Raja and the Whales, the only ones around who strictly follow the ecotourism guidelines for whale watching. Those include not chasing after the whales, approaching them from the right directions, avoiding any possibilities of injuries to the big fish and a lot of others. As the day wore on, we realise how important those principles are. The other dozen boats went out with a singular promise – to show the people a whale – and to achieve that the boatmen go to the point of chasing and molesting the gentle creature. If you intend to head there, I highly recommend you go with Raja.

After hours of trundling through the open ocean, we finally got around to solitary whale (they don’t really move around in groups). However, along with us, there were 7-8 other boats. The dance was set. Someone would spot the spout of the whale coming up to breathe. All the boats would rush in all at once (except us) like hungry hyenas. The sight was a little pathetic. In any case, we were in the dance now. One by one, boats kept getting close to the whale, fulfilling their contractual obligations and returning to port. We decided to simply bid our time. An hour later, we are the only ones in the water along one more latecomer. We got to spend some quality time with our whale before eventually returning to the hotel.

Long, very sunny and essentially 2 minutes of excitement followed by 15 minutes of waiting and snoozing. It was well over 6 hours by the time we returned.

Video from the whale watch coming soon!

We spent the evening having a quiet drink at Mirissa Beach. Our last evening in this beautiful country was coming to an end. We sat at the beach reflecting on the lovely week we had just spent. We came into the country weary travellers. We were returning rejuvenated.

Sri Lanka, we will see you again.

Catch the rest of the journey in Part 1: Colombo and Part 2: Galle.

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The train from Colombo Fort was scheduled for 6.55am. The station was small, very cosy. We had been placed in a special observation saloon – the last boxcar with reserved seats, lot of leg and luggage space and windows all around. Entirely populated by travellers, this was probably the best way to get to Galle from Colombo.

The journey itself was as bumpy as it was picturesque. It feels weird to say this but if you get motion sickness, maybe don’t take this train. The trail line meanders its way around the western coast of Sri Lanka almost constantly overlooking the wide expanse of the Indian Ocean. It is incredibly beautiful and green all around. After a while, the camera shutters stop capturing the nearly identical landscape and you get a breather to actually enjoy where you are. While the last boxcar gives us the viewing advantage, it more than makes up in the number of times it violently throws everyone around when negotiating a bend. All in all, a fantastic journey.

via GIPHY

via GIPHY

Stay @ Tamarind Hill

We are staying at the charming Tamarind Hill, just outside Galle. This is a period property – the main complex is over 250 years old. The old world charm has been maintained even in the new sections added to create additional rooms. Surrounded by greenery on all side and enclosing a huge courtyard with a tamarind tree in the middle, this is a place to relax. The rooms are huge. The bathroom is ever larger. We have a private patio with a frangipani tree coming right out. The staff is extremely pleasant and hidden when you don’t need them. We couldn’t have asked for a better experience.

Too bad we could not meet the peacocks which come in every morning into the courtyard.

Old Dutch Fort

The main attraction of Galle is the Old Dutch Fort. Right at water’s edge, the insides of the fort have been occupied by people forever. Over the past few years though, the fort has changed character with the numerous eating, drinking and shopping places opened up by Sri Lankans and foreigners alike. Everything from Sri Lankan curries to Italian gelato to calorie controlled sandwiches is available here. We spent the better part of two days walking through its many many narrow lanes. A curio shop somewhere, a cooking demonstration elsewhere, a funny looking artefact outside a restaurant, ethnic Sri Lankan crafts in still another place. The fort is alive and kicking.

As the sun goes down, everyone makes their way to the ramparts of the fort to watch the sun go down over the Indian Ocean. On weekends, locals make their way and the atmosphere is almost carnival like. Get your fill of ripe mangoes, freshly baked bread, roasted gram and other street food while you have a lovely picnic with your family or friends. Once the sun has set and the people have left, head to one of the many pubs for a pint of the lovely Lion beer. The perfect end to a Galle evening

The pool at Tamarind Hill was very inviting. So after an early walk to the beach, we headed straight to the pool for some fun with the GoPro.

The next day, we said our goodbyes and headed off to Mirissa in search of some surf.

Catch the rest of the journey in Part 1: Colombo and Part 3: Mirissa.

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Sri Lanka surprised us. Pleasantly. We will definitely be going back.

Our journey started in cosmopolitan Colombo. It is not a very large city but the signs of rapid growth are everywhere. Massive office complexes being built in the downtown area. Lot of land being reclaimed from the sea to create new building sites. Chinese industry present everywhere.

But it is also a city which is trying to retain its heritage. Deeper in the city, large parks and colonial structure dominate. Even new shopping areas being built are in keeping with the colonial styles.

Coming from India, the biggest surprise for us was how well behaved and clean the city was. Very few people honked. Everyone followed rules. Vehicles stopped for pedestrians. People were extremely polite and nice. There wasn’t any real garbage around. It is true that Bangalore has to support a population more than 16x that of Colombo, but we could definitely learn a thing or two from our neighbours.

The highlight of our Colombo stay was definitely the Old Dutch Hospital. The completely refurbished colonial hospital with mammoth windows and large courtyards is now occupied by a bunch of very hip pubs, restaurants and shops.

The wifey had taken reservations at the very well reviewed Ministry of Crab. Run by erstwhile superstars of Sri Lankan cricket – Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara – and Dharshan Munidase, the place specialises in crab and has been rated one of the Asia’s 50 best restaurants.

The giant butter crab served with Sri Lankan bread was incredibly succulent. The taste was sublime. The staff were extremely courteous. Despite being one of the busiest restaurants around with a fixed seating time, no one disturbs you once you are seated and eating. The ambience is lovely with dim lighting all around and no traffic or loud music. We were thoroughly impressed. It deserved the recognition. The bill? LKR 13,400 / INR 5,800 / USD 86.
Not bad for a lovely evening and a fantastic meal!

Stay @ Ceilao Villas

A charming little villa in a somewhat posh locality, overlooking the Italian embassy. The people were very helpful and got our train tickets to Galle done in advance. Location is fantastic if you like to explore neighbourhoods on foot. Lovely courtyard.

The journey continues in Part 2: Galle and Part 3: Mirissa.

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But, of course, it had to start out weird. Got caught in a freak snowstorm in London. Flight to San Francisco cancelled. Whole series of meetings in the US cancelled. British Airways making a royal mess of managing their home airport. No cabs to even take you out of the airport. Thankfully have family in London and a still valid visa so did not have to sleep in the airport. No sight of bags though. Find it if you can!

Lost bags also meant no winter clothes! I was still very much dressed for Bangalore and for San Francisco. Well out you go to shop some. And then some more.

Cincinnati was mostly work. It was fairly cold and didn’t do much going out. However, did end up going for a long walk to the riverside at night. Pretty little place but no people. A little unsettling, if you ask me.

I also had to head out to Appleton near the great lakes for a day. We were welcomed by a blanket of snow. The town had the quintessential Christmas feel with snow bound houses with loads of Christmas lights and decorations outside. It was straight out of a picture postcard.

Finally got around to going out on Saturday. The team had left and I had a weekend to kill. Went out exploring for better part of the day. This clearly was the nice part of town.

The Purple People’s Bridge and Newport Levee across the river was interesting. Privately owned bridge turns pedestrian only and is now trying to become part of the lifestyle to keep up with the costs. Dancing, zumba, festivities and whatnot. Unfortunately, none of that was on display today since it was so bloody cold.

The giant Christmas tree near the hotel was constantly beckoning. Decided to pay a visit and participate in the cheer going around.

Eventually, it was the day to leave. The weather had improved markedly and I still had a meeting to do before flying out so decided to make a day of it. Checked out of the hotel early, parked my luggage with them and went for a walk through the rest of the town. The George Washington Park was nice. Findlay Market looked promising but had not opened for the early hour I was there.

This was also the no-so-nice part of town. Looked like a predominantly black population. Lot of decrepit, crumbling houses. Streets not exactly clean. A different side of Cincinnati. Of perhaps America itself. However,
around Findlay Market, it was easy to see a sort of quiet transformation being brought about by the hipsters. They are a weird lot but by god, they can turn a place around. Look forward to visiting here again.

Goodbye Cincinnati. Until next time…

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And that is when I was informed by the a crew member that they had forgotten my luggage in Singapore. After a half hour of form filling and no information whatsoever, I had to attend a full day’s worth of meetings in the same clothes that I had been wearing for the past 12 hours. No biggie.

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via GIPHY

Right away, I was off to Samba and Bindu’s beautiful apartment at water’s edge in Canary Wharf. We end up meeting only once every couple of years when someone is traveling. We spent a lovely night at our rooftop when they were last visiting Bangalore.

We went out sightseeing.

Big Ben was being renovated. What a downer!

via GIPHY

via GIPHY

As the evening wound down, it was time to meet some more of our friends. We headed deeper into the more drinky neighbourhoods leaving the touristy bits behind. Lots of drinks and lots of banter. Such a lovely evening!

Until next time…

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The day I reached was horribly gloomy. Overcast. Dark. Cold. Constantly raining. Extremely uninviting. No wonder everyone says the weather is depressing.

Thankfully, the weather turned for the better over the next couple of days. The evenings were brisk but the riverside close to the hotel was buzzing with activity. I ended up taking a lot of long walks and admired the many charming aspects of the city after dark

Even the business park seemed a lot more inviting once the clouds had lifted!

Of course, the city felt a whole lot more beautiful and enticing in the day. I had the weekend to explore the rest of the city. Walking around was the best bit helping explore little nooks that guidebooks do not cover.

This being Newcastle, there must have been a castle. And we must visit it. Although it was extremely underwhelming as I am used to humungous castles here in India.

Okay. Back to sightseeing.

Until next time…

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The whole project including the box and paints cost about Rs 1500.

You can also check out our DIY projects over at Instructables.

Step 1: Find an old army trunk

We did not set out to build this. We were checking a classified website for something else and found a retired army colonel selling his trunks. The idea immediately started forming. We bought two of them for Rs 1200 ($20) – the small one we are going to use in this instructable was Rs 400 ($7).

The boxes were fairly big and we did not take the jeep that day. The whole thing barely fit inside the trunk of the friend’s hatchback we had borrowed for the day.

Step 2: Clean it up

The most difficult part of the project was getting the old nails out. They were rusted. Very often crooked – sometimes by use, sometimes by design. The wood in which they were places was alternating between hard and soft. It took a patient couple of hours to get all the nails out without damaging the wood underneath. A hammer and nail pliers along with some wooden blocks (for support) did the job.

The next part was separating the lid. I wanted to build an open face bookshelf so the lip could find itself another job to do. I left the hinges on the trunk and glued them in single position so they don’t disturb anything else.

Then I sanded the whole thing to make sure no rough edges were left. I do not have a power sander and hand sanding is incredibly painful. Hence I did not sand enough to get the old paint off. Way too much work! If you have a power sander (or more patience than me), go through the paint to get an even wooden finish out.

Step 3: Create the middle shelf

While dismantling the trunk, I had completely remove the top. I took the top apart and took one of the panels to create the middle shelf. It needed a bit of work with the jigsaw but in the end, it come out to be perfectly sized.

To support the shelf, I decided to go with screws. All around the sides and back, I put in a few screws which would hold the whole thing together. I needed this to be strong enough to hold the weight of books. Also, other approaches work best when the wood is available in pieces. Since the box is already made, it was made reaching through and cutting more difficult.

Step 4: Paint it!

We decided to go in for a 2 tone treatment. The outside of the box will get a teal colour. The inside including the shelf will be white. The handles and legs (neither of them were ready till now) will also be white.

Once the painting was over, we set it up on a cane stool to see how it looks. Not too bad!

But we did not have legs. We then realised one of the cane stools was about to be thrown away (termites!). We could use the legs.

Step 5: Preparing legs

If you have access to legs, this step should be done before painting. We weren’t that smart.

We got the legs of the cane stool and cut the top off to create the ideal height. I do not have a planer or a circular saw. The jigsaw does not give perfect cuts so the ‘ideal’ required a lot of improvisation. We then sanded them to get ready for paint and drilled a hole on top of them to affix them to the bottom of the bookshelf.

The legs and handles got white paint as planned.

Step 6: Final assembly

The screws went in easily to secure the legs to the bookshelf. I added some strong industrial strength glue to the screws, hols and the top of the legs to add strength.

Overall it came out quite well. We put a tall plant next to it for some company and creating a bit of contrast with the teal+white of the bookshelf.

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