My Island Spell

"GRIS" short hands on review...!

2020-04-28T00:06:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since I have updated my blog, The COVID-19 has bought me a large quantity of extra time stuck at home and it lulled me back to Video gaming which I was lost in the sands of time in my life. I haven't been playing games for almost ten years to be exact and I picked up a copy of Skyrim and completed it. I loved every bit of it since I was a fan of elder scrolls from my teen years. Then I moved on looking for titles that would fit my current state of mind, age etc, then I stumbled upon this beautiful work of art.

I have been playing games since I was a child and there are quite a few titles that truly captured my heart. "GRIS" is the latest addition to my list. I don't want to tell you much because it will definitely ruin your experience with this fragile, beautiful, and dreamy masterpiece. I rather call it a playable piece of art rather than a video game.

The music, the visuals, and all those movements are like it is in a deep state of meditation. It definitely gives the feeling of being lost in a "Wong Kar wai' style masterpiece.

This is a kind of game I would love to play right now because it perfectly fits my age and mood....!

Last I would like to thank the developers for taking the time to make this game a reality and I hope to see more like this in the future.

#lifelonggamer #gamer #meditaton #art #arthouse

KZ - ATR amazing sound for a small price

2017-08-31T08:41:00.004-07:00

For past few years i have been very enthusiastic about audio equipment. Especially the amplifiers and Headphones so i have done some research and learned quiet a lot about this subject and also bought several sets of earphones for my personal use.

I use to own a pair of Xiaomi Piston 3 for almost two years and they finally broke, the cable came out near the mic and remote control end. They were pretty good sounding but for me they never sounded good as they say in reviews. but for the price you can't ask for more.

Then i needed another pair so this time i ordered a pair of KZ - ATR from ebay after going through few reviews. I never really expected much but soon as i put them on i was surprised. Seriously they sounds so good and made me wonder if i have really bought a 8US$ headphones from ebay?.

I am not a audiophile and i don't have the luxury to be either but when i hear good sound i know it sounds pretty good. These KZ - ATR are amazing that i bought another pair for my wife as well. They are bassy and very warm sounding, perfect for listening to music when you want to relax. I keep playing blues guitar and female jazz songs often when i want to relax. They simply sound so good it made me wanna do further research in to KZ products.

I have already ordered KZ ZS5 and soon as i get them i will write about them. If anyone is thinking whether to go for a KZ - ATR or not. Think no more... you can't have better sounding earphones for this price. Go for them... you will love every bit about them...

Only downside i came across these earphones are the tangle prone cable. It feels rubbery and kind of sticky cheapish...

Changing rear shock absorbers of a motorcycle do make a huge difference in comfort sector!!

2017-08-31T00:45:00.001-07:00

I decided to share my experience with the world so i thought i'd write a blog post hoping it will be useful for anyone who is having a problem with motorcycle shock absorber just like myself. Back in last January (2017) i found my self without a motorcycle since motorcycle prices in Sri Lanka had been sky rocketed to maximum possible prices i was unable to afford one. When i was going through the second hand market i came across this wonderful little machine which do all that i need. Only downside i had about it was the engine capacity since i was used to bigger displacement motorcycles and it was only 125CC. I went in for a test ride and it completely changed my idea about the Honda CG125 (Front Disc , 5 Speed model with electric start). It had wonderful torque to it and it is what we really need for traffic congested roads. Fuel economy was also unbelievable and i got the Honda reliability as well. I should't forget to mention the awesome thumpy stock beat of the classic push rod engine was very appealing to me since i love the good ol' machines than new ones.

After riding the bike for couple of months i began to suffer fatigue and back pains due to rear shocks. That's what i believed at least. They were just single action shocks that had kept idle for more than three years before i bought the bike.

Stock Shock absorbers when i bought the bike

These were the stocks after removal

I've been doing research online and kept asking around experienced mechanics regards to this matter and they said adding new nitro gas shocks will not do any different. Some of them ask me to find a better roads to ride on which is ridiculous because i am not working for road development authority of this island. I upgraded the seat cushion yet it only helped a little.

I tried a new pair of single action oil shocks and didn't make much difference so i thought what they are saying is true. One day me and my father went through the whole concept of Gas Filled shock absorbers and decided to buy a pair that would fit my bike.

With a doubt in our minds we went to the nearest motorcycle store and bought "Gabriel Double Action Nitros Gas Shock absorbers" which comes for "Bajaj Pulsar 135". They were inverted model which will perfectly fit my bike after little modification of the top rubber and bush.

New Gas Shocks after installation

Guess what!!!! the motorcycle had complete changed the way it performs. I tried riding it with pillion on and not a single issue, no harsh pot holes. The new shocks did make a wonderful difference. If you are one of those people who are suffering from the same issue and wondering about will it make a difference then hear me...

"GAS FILLED NITRO SHOCKS DO MAKE A MASSIVE DIFFERENCE IN RIDING COMFORT AND YES!!! YOU DON'T HAVE TO BUILD ROADS BY YOURSELF TO GO TO THE CITY"

I hope this article will be useful for those who are on the fence like my self. Especially the CG 125 owners who is suffering from back pain and pot holes.

Where is HERO IMPULSE in Sri Lanka?

2017-04-27T02:57:00.001-07:00

It had been almost 8 years since the initial release in India. The Hero Impulse has never been available in Sri Lanka for some unknown reason. I have been questioning the current HERO agent who is "ABANS" and yet they gave me no straight answer. I tried all possible ways to approach them, facebook, emails, through local dealers and all they say is "we will inform you once it is available". Guh!!! once it is available i will definitely know it my self even before the local agent gets it because i have been really enthusiastic about this motorcycle since it's initiation in India.

Why?

well because there are tons of reasons why we should have "Hero Impulse" in Sri Lankan roads and zero reasons why NOT!. It is build for off-road (in my book bad roads) which we have plenty here in this island. We don't have a properly powered affordable off-road motorcycle to buy from a trust worthy brand. Yes we do have XR125 (not powerful enough), Demak 150 and 200 ( we don't know about these machines, Royal Enfield Himalayan (have to sell a land to buy it, too expensive).

So why not HERO IMPULSE? It's 150cc and powered by the beloved CBZ Extreme (extreme) engine which pumps ample power to fuel consumption and will be ideal for our roads , bad roads and no roads. :D

The whole purpose of writing this article on my blog because i want this to be heard... those who wants to buy this bike just like my self please just go to FACEBOOK and tell HERO MOTOCORP SRI LANKA to get it down. It's not much to ask right?,

Please feel free to post all your valued comments,

Demak Motorcycles in Sri Lanka ( Demak D7 125 )

2017-03-14T02:49:00.001-07:00

I've been wanting to write a little about these machines for last few years. I've been seeing them on roads and showrooms for a while yet i never been had a chance to ride one of them. Well you can't write about what you don't know right? but recently i had a chance to take a test ride of this cute little machine in a near by second hand motorcycle shop. It is called "Demak D7 125CC". Even the machine i rode was in very bad condition, i had managed to jot down few points to write about it on my blog. I am sure if it was a new machine it would have been great fun. Since the motorcycle i rode was pre-owned and treated very badly i cannot write any information about the performance or how it feels to own a brand new D7. What you are about to see is not a review... it is just how i felt as a rider when i rode it and what i think about it.

Looks,

It looks very interesting because it has the modern-retro cafe racer stylish look (Which i love). D7 is stylishly equipped with round headlamp instead of the more modern diamond head sharp edged headlamp. It comes in four different eye catching colours. Blue black white and red. They have flame decals on the tank sides and fitted with round rear mirrors to enhance the retro styling. Personally i like the way this machine looks.

Engine

After a close inspection of the motorcycle, i figured out that it is been powered by the same motor that powers Honda CG125. You really can't go wrong with that right?. Yep it is powered by the same super reliable push rod engine along with 5 speed transmission. It gives ample enough power to cruise through the roads as well as to escape the city traffic. Since this engine does comes with push rods instead of OHC, it ads more simplicity to the engine as well as durability during absence of regular maintenance. Best thing about this engine is ample availability of parts. If something goes wrong after five years of hard riding, nothing to worry, it is based on a ultra reliable time tested engine by Honda.

Other stuff... :D

I love how the bike sounds... the exhaust note is very thumpy just like those classic honda CG 125's. It has that beat we all classic bike lovers love to hear. Bike is also equipped with Alloy-wheels so use of tube less tyres will be an added advantage. It also have a glowing digital speedometer which looks very nice during the night rides. Seat is quiet comfortable but for larger riders, it will be difficult to carry a pillion. The Demak D7 also features kick start and Electric start which could be very useful if the battery dies. It also has front petal disc brakes and rear drum brakes which is pretty much standard these days on commuter class motorcycles.

Conclusion

I must say i loved the machine, i'd like to own one if i could, just to have a fun ride around the town. This is a great commuter and i believe it will give nearly 50 KMPL in fuel economy ( based on CG125 Honda 5Speed which has the same engine ). This looks like a cafe racer but no where near a real sports bike. D7 is an awesome commuter with styling. If you need performance and high speed riding, you definitely need to go up on Demaks latest offerings like Skyline GT etc.

I would like to write more about these Demak Motorcycles in the future... just ride them and write about how you honestly feel. Nothing like a professional review... but a more down to earth rider experience kind of thing.

One day excursion to the down south with Dilmah Tea group

2015-04-17T21:40:00.001-07:00

A pilgrimage to the cloudy heavens of hindu gods.... The Ramayana Trails

2014-11-07T22:16:00.003-08:00

For past few years i have worked on many types of tours as a licensed national tourist guide lecturer but i have not worked for a pilgrimage before. A week back i was contacted by a company called "Royal Holidays" to do quickly attend to a tour which starts on the same day night. I took up the challenge of getting ready and even more they have mentioned that it is a 16 pax tour which consist of a group leader and it is a pilgrimage to all significant hindu temples. it was called "Ramayana Trails". Sri Lanka is a buddhist country but it is also famous for it's monuments related to "Ramayana Legend". A historical yet mythical story written by "Valmiki" envolving sri lankan king Raavana and indian king Rama who fought over a beautiful damsel "Seetha". Even though i am a stranger to this, it was an age old connection between sri lanka and india even way before buddhism was introduced to sri lanka. Everything revolves around this Legend. Even with little understanding i took up the tour to heavens... to meet the hindu gods. Siva Temples, Hanuman Temples, and Vegetarian foods all the way. It was a amazing experience seeing parts of this island which i have never seen before.

The beautiful Water fall named after the Sri Lankan King "Raavana" is called "Raavana Falls" which resides in the heart of "Ella" city. It was such a sight to see it full of flowing clean water after endless raining. The central mountains of Sri Lankan never fails to take my breath away, I always have a feeling within me that my soul belongs to the misty cold mountains that rain never stops.

The most amazing part of the tour was eating 100% Vegetarian foods in all three meals which is quiet strange to me yet it really bought light upon my soul. Giving me a good night sleep having to think that i have not killed anyone for my food today. The south indian cuisine is entirely devoid of meat products but it tastes extremely good with spicy, savour flavor. All the 16 tourists who came bangalore were strict vegetarians and i was suprised. No wonder... there legend speak of a demon king named Raavana who lived in Sri Lanka and i am sure we are his minions. The most unforgetable food i had was in Pure vegetarian restaurent up in the mountain on the way to "Hanuman Temple of Ramboda" which is called "Anapurna". Food was amazing so as the magnificent view.

Segunda gira en mi nueva agencia.

2014-11-07T21:58:00.001-08:00

Estoy contento de que la segunda gira de la agencia ha ido bien sin perder ninguna más destacado en el camino. Mis turistas estaban contentos al respecto a pesar de que en la temporada de lluvias logramos ver todo lo que se incluye en el itinerario. Ellos estaban contentos con la elección de su destino de luna de miel. A partir de Sri Lanka a Maldivas.

Primera gira en una nueva agencia .....

2014-10-04T02:51:00.000-07:00

Otra gran cosa sobre el trabajo como guía turístico independiente es, usted no está obligado a una sola oficina, un jefe o un lugar. Usted es su propio jefe. Sea cual sea el resultado que se obtiene de su trabajo es totalmente suya. Bueno o malo. Normalmente mal resultado es 100% suyo mientras que los buenos beneficios de la empresa y todo lo que detrás de la gira. Yo empecé a trabajar para una nueva agencia de viajes llamada "Ceylon Roots". Ellos básicamente manejan unos quince agencias de viajes españolas en sri lanka, casi el 50% de las llegadas de turistas españoles son manejados por ellos. Su primera visita fue con esta hermosa pareja de recién casados. Tenían el tiempo de sus vidas en sri lanka y estoy muy feliz por eso. Al igual que siempre dice, me encanta trabajar como guía turístico, parte increíble de ello es conocer gente increíble, el sol quemaba el centro norte de las montañas fríos y lluviosos. Les encantó todo.

La mejor bebida en sri lanka, afortunadamente, está disponible a un precio barato. Lleno de electrolitos para el cuerpo para hidratar en este tórrido clima cálido y soleado. El "Rey de coco" es también uno de los mejores remedios para la resaca. Me aseguro de que todas mis huéspedes tomar un sorbo de ella en todos mis viajes.

Ofrenda de Flores en templos budistas han sido una tradición vejez. La flor representa la vida humana. Vive como un niño, entonces se ve hermoso cuando es joven y en plena floración, En última instancia, si la distancia y se desvanecen como los humanos. Representa la vida desde el nacimiento hasta la muerte. Desean ofrecer flores al templo como todos los peregrinos hacen.

cuando me dieron a elegir entre negros y rubios elijo negro .... nada de qué preocuparse, señoras, me encanta todo tipo de señoras en cuanto a su color de piel. Estoy hablando de la cerveza aquí. Me encanta la cerveza negra. Así que decidieron experimentar la comida picante en sri lanka Styled seguido de una cerveza stout león oscuro. El resultado fue increíble, a todos les encantó.

Lo más nuevo de trabajar como guía es, hacer amigos, sí que hacen muchos amigos de todas partes del mundo. En mi caso, en su mayoría de España. Madrid a Barcelona, de norte a sur. En toda España.

Lo mejor de trabajar como guía turístico está cumpliendo con estas personas encantadoras de todo el mundo ...

2014-10-04T02:29:00.000-07:00

Estos son algunos momentos de la reciente gira que he hecho .... Ellos querían experimentar la sri lanka desde el corazón de la misma. Así llegaron al lugar y se encontraron con el hombre adecuado para el trabajo. Así que aquí va de paseo en elefante con un baño de ducha elefante al arroz picante caliente chisporrotea y curry. Lo mejor de todo era que experimentaban en la manera que debe ser.

Hola a todos, aquí tienes giras españolas que he hecho durante estos últimos años

2014-09-10T04:09:00.000-07:00

Yo pensé que voy a añadir algunas fotos de las giras que he hecho durante estos últimos años, aquí están algunas de las excursiones más memorables españoles y turistas que he tratado. Ha sido una experiencia increíble haciendo giras para ellos. Les encantó cada poco de su estancia aquí en esta isla. Nada me hace más feliz que escuchar mis turistas diciendo "Estamos muy felices aquí y tristes de partir, nos encantó nuestro pequeño vacaciones en su isla, Gracias por todo".

Si usted es una de esas personas que están pensando en visitar Sri Lanka para sus próximas vacaciones, no lo pienses más ya elegido el lugar correcto. Si desea alguna recomendación, cualquier ayuda que se refiere a ella, no dude en ponerse en contacto conmigo. Te puedo dar algunos buenos consejos para empezar.

Mi yo y mi padre está planeando hasta el comienzo de una pequeña agencia de viajes en el tiempo para los turistas que vienen de todo el mundo. Actualmente somos capaces de manejar giras con Inglés, los clientes de habla hispana y italianos. Ambos somos Sri Lanka oficina de turismo guías nacionales certificados. Nosotros nos encargamos de visitas, podemos reservar los hoteles, que básicamente podemos adaptar toda una gira por Sri Lanka de acuerdo a su presupuesto.

Motorcycle Carburetor Tuning / Cleaning at Kottawa

2014-05-02T21:34:00.002-07:00

We do these and more for your precious motorcycle.

* Carburetor Tuning / Cleaning for maximum performance and fuel efficiency
* Fixing smoke (Green) Test failed motorcycles
* Other motorcycle related issues.

We specialize in

* Single Cylinder & Twin Cylinder motorcycles ( Any Make
* Single Carburetor to Multi Carburetor machines
* Two or Four Stroke

Trouble with your motorcycle? Worry no further? call us for help? Our work shop is conveniently located in the heart of kottawa town at my residence.

Harsha ~ 077-6226028

Side Gapping Spark Plugs

2013-01-26T02:04:00.000-08:00

This is my most unexpectedly good finding of the week. "Side Gapping Spark Plugs". I never heard of it before, so as many of the other good veteran riders in Yamaha SR 500 Forum. When i read this article it was something tempting and scary at the same time to try it on my sweet "ebony". Well, no pain, no gain right?. I had a spark plug laying around which is from my Virago 750. They were NGK BPR7ES. Currently my SR 400 is running on NGK BP6ES Spark plug so i removed it and kept it aside. Side gapped the NGK BPR7ES and put it back in the bike.

Well i guess what the old skool racers said and done was true. Side gapping clearly increased the horse power of the bike, it pulls better, idles better and i thin the fuel efficiency has increased as well. Someone might now be wandering, why the heck they initially make stock plugs like that. Well i have no idea why! but i know there are double ground strap NGK's coming with most toyota cars so it can't be that harmful. Some how the life of spark plug will decrease , but with above advantages i wouldn't mind changing my spark plug quicker than they use to be.

Only downside that i will go back to standard gaping is the engine heat. I felt that the heat that generates in the cylinder dome has increased a little bit. I think i have misunderstood it because the moment i felt it, i was riding the bike in a kind of bad condition road at slower speed, probably riding slow has heated up a little than normal and i am too paranoid over it.

here's the link with a picture guide on how to side gap a standard spark plug

http://www.instructables.com/id/Save-Gas-And-Incerase-Horsepower-By-Side-Gapping-S/

PS : I am not liable for any damage caused by doing above to your machine or your self.... So you are on your own here. :P

Yamaha SR400 User Manual in English

2013-01-25T23:17:00.001-08:00

I was looking all over the internet for some documentation about Yamaha SR 400 in English and believe me it was a difficult task. I looked for the haynes manuals etc and none is freely available. I found this SR 400 user manual that was completely in Japanese. It contained all the basic and necessary information like, company specified spark plug, gap, information about sprocket and chains, tire size, quantity of air that should be in the tires etc. So i manage to translate the japanese manual to hopefully understandable english. This is not perfect at all but most of the information we are looking for is here and to my opinion is understandable. So here goes, i thought i'd share it with another weary rider who's looking for this information about their beloved SR 400's.

http://www.2shared.com/document/Ju-UGhV3/sr400jaen.html

Yamaha SR 400 Carburetor settings ( Stock BST 34 )

2013-01-17T01:04:00.003-08:00

I've been through hell to find some real stock settings and information about the SR 400's stock carburetor BST34 Mikuni. You might be wandering what the hell i am talking about. Alright let's be clear, SR is a famous bike, SR500 and SR400 is pretty famous but search the web by your self if you can find information like Stock Pilot Jet Size, Stock Main Jet Size etc of the SR 400's that came between 1988 - 2000. The stock carburetor is BST34 Mikuni diaphragm CV Carburetor. i am sure it won't be easy because SR 400's are rare outside japan and asia, most of the documents including user manual etc is in complete Japanese. That is not the only reason, nearly 90% of the SR4's out there are not running on stock carbs. They are running on alternative slide carbs from many other manufacturers.

So i thought i will share the information i found out about the settings with everybody who search for it. after setting my bikes carburetor to these stock specifications, it started giving more power, and the problem it had of the RPM is going up and down on it's own in idle has solved. So here goes. If you want any other information please do not hesitate to ask, i'll be happy to help.

VM32SS Slide Carburetor (Model Years 1978 ~ 1987)
Main Jet - # 280
Pilot Jet - # 25

BST34 Mikuni CV Type carburetor (Model Years 1987 ~ 2000)
Main Jet - #162.5
Pilot Jet - #45
Float Height Settings - 12.5mm ~ 13.5mm
Idling Speed - 1350r/min

BSR33 Mikuni CV Type Carburetore (Model years 2001 ~ ????)
Main Jet - #162.5
Pilot Jet - #22.5
Float Height Settings - 14mm ~ 15mm
Idling Speed - 1200r/min ~ 1400r/min

I couldn't have found these settings without the help of "Madmax", an esteemed SR elder from the SR500forum. He deserves all the credits about me finding out above information.

Ebony gets new winkers.

2012-11-29T23:13:00.002-08:00

The process of getting my bike in to good shape is slow but it keeps happening as i get my hands on more money and spare parts. This is the most recent upgrade i have done. Winkers were not working, rear right winker was missing and the front left was broken. While i was shopping through the spare parts shop looking for new set of winkers, i came across these L.E.D Winkers which is really bright compared to standard winkers. So i bought them and installed. I could not find classic looking winkers that matches SR but i thought this looks ok on the bike for the time being. Unfortunately once i finished wiring up the winkers, i have found out that without a in built battery they are not working properly. So next stage is to get a battery.

These are the winkers that was there when i bought the bike.

After fitting the new L.E.D Winkers, this is how it looks on "Ebony".

Sri Lanka's maximum allowed motorcycle engine capacity has changed?

2012-11-26T22:57:00.000-08:00

I heard this news but i never remembered to find out the truth about it for past six months and today i did a bit of research online looking for a legitimate source over this news. I heard, and i was told by people that maximum allowed motorcycle engine capacity of sri lanka has changed recently from 350cc to 450cc. Since the availability of 350cc is really low, in reality it was 250cc and now changed to 450cc. I got this document from the government website and i still do not know the truth behind this. The document is the government gazette and here goes what i found out to the public.

How ever this is a awesome news because all riders out there who has Honda CB400, Virago 400 and many other popular 400 and 450cc motorcycles has a chance to ride them on the road legally with legal registration.

Finding of "Ebony".... The Yamaha SR Diaries entry one.

2012-11-19T23:44:00.000-08:00

I've been riding bikes for many years... You may know it.... You may not know it..... Why would you care right?. well i agree on that. We are living in a society where nobody cares for anybody at all. This is where we lost the old world charm. But my heart always yearned for a society where ladies were respected and treated like ladies, Where men were men and settle personal dues on duels.

Since the day that i started riding, I always wanted a one model of Yamaha classics and i was always unable to find it in this island full of modern cheap plastic motorcycle wasteland where only very few riders ride for passion while rest of them ride just because they have to. Being among the few who loved the old world charm, i always wanted a motorcycle where i have to kick start it every morning, no nonsense modern stuff and the look wise wanted more of a British classic bike. The perfect candidate was the "Yamaha SR". About a month back i got news of one up for sale and luckily i had cash in my hand because i had sold my previous two bikes (both enduro's Honda XLR250 and Suzuki Djebel 200SE) about week back. I knew this was a keeper, so i immediately paid a visit hoping it to be in good condition. Yes it was, she was a beauty.... Not the super perfect you would call it but in my book, this is perfect enough for me. There are still few works to be done. I finished the deal with the person who was selling it. It was painted in darkest maroon. I finally got something i always wanted. Below is a picture of the bike after i bought it home as it is condition. I will be restoring it as much as i can to the stock condition. I immediately named her "Ebony".....

I decide to change the exhaust (a.k.a muffler) because it looked nice but sounded too loud for me. The exhaust was something custom made and more of like a open pipe. So i looked for a exhaust and i could not find the stock one. Yesterday i came across a exhaust that i thought would look awesome in my bike. A Genuine Honda Goshi Exhaust specifically made (Stock) for Honda Clubman 500. It was sold to me by the same person who i bought the bike. It fitted to the Yamaha SR without any modifications. It does have a really awesome sound now when i ride it down the roads. I am glad i got rid of that custom looks nice but sounds awful exhaust.

Here is what was there when i bought the bike.

This is after fixing the Honda Clubman 500 Exhaust.

I still haven't taken her for a long ride..... "Ebony" still needs some work, especially the tank has few damages which needs fixing and re-paint, handle turns too much it damages the tank. needs to fix the signal winkers, all the lights on speedo meter and tacho meter, needs a tacho meter cable which is extremely difficult to find in this island. Yes she does misses few important stuff but the thing is, it runs perfectly now. That's all it matters.

Benefits of drinking water

2012-02-07T21:49:00.000-08:00

I have found some nice and important information about water. We all know that drinking water benefits us from many ways, but many doesn't do it properly. In the beginning we all drank water, We never had cola's, red bull or Gatorade. During the stone age water was the main thirst quencher and we had no problems..... If someone asks how do you know?, best example is, look at us. Look at the human population, if we had problems like today during those days, human population would have never grown this big right?. I hope this will be useful to everybody.

1. Drinking water enhances fat loss

Water is an essential nutrient. All chemical reactions in the body depend upon it. If you’re trying to lose weight, this can’t be ignored. You won’t be able to lose weight without water to flush out the by-products of fat breakdown. When there isn’t enough water to dilute the body’s waste products, kidney stones may form. When the kidneys aren’t working to their full potential, the liver must step in and help. Once this happens the liver can’t optimally perform its other important functions. As a result, burning fat has to wait.

2. Combat ailments by drinking more water

In many cases, fatigue, headaches and back pain may be caused by dehydration. If you suffer from an afternoon nod off, try drinking more water at lunch. If you or your children complain of frequent headaches, the amount of water you’re drinking could be responsible. And, muscle spasms are also caused by not being adequately hydrated.

3. Drinking water can reduce hunger

Experts say that hunger pangs are often misinterpreted cravings for water. Try drinking water before your regular meals and see if it helps you cut down on the amount of food you eat. It really works as an effective appetite suppressant. Avoid counting tea, coffee, sodas and juices in your fluid intake. Coffee and tea contain caffeine which has a diuretic effect and makes you lose water. Sodas and juices are too sweet—because the body must dilute them, they cause more dehydration.

4. Look younger - drinking water hydrates your skin

When the skin is properly hydrated, it looks plump and more radiant. Water will keep the toxins flushed out and help you to cool off through perspiration. Muscles need to have enough water to make them look full too. Deprive yourself of water and you’ll see the difference in the mirror.

Are you dehydrated?

Just how do you know if you’re getting dehydrated? If you have a dry mouth, produce less urine, have very dark urine and/or feel dizzy or faint you probably need water, quick. Drink at least 8 glasses a day. Experts now recommend even more, up to 12 glasses a day. To be more precise, drink ½ ounce per pound of body weight. If you exercise or are very active increase the number to 2/3 ounce per pound. Try monitoring your water intake closely for the next month. When you drink enough, you’ll look and feel better.

Correct timing to drink water, will maximize its effectiveness on the Human body.

Two (02) glass of water - After waking up - Helps activate internal organs

One (01) glasses of water - 30 minutes before meal - Help digestion

One (01) glass of water - Before taking a bath - Helps lower blood pressure

One (01) glass of water - Before sleep - To avoid stroke or heart attack

"THE CAR" in real life....

2012-02-07T21:23:00.000-08:00

one day i was walking back from the supermarket after some shopping and i spotted this car, it's a strange looking vehicle because it's massive and definitely is a custom made.... It instantly remind me of the movie i seen when i was a kid.... the movie name "THE CAR", a black Cadillac that kills people after being possessed by the devil. I know this ain't no Cadillac but it reminds me of the movie. I looked closer to it and it seems to me that it is a old "Nissan Patrol" chassis and a body of a old car. Awesome stuff.... Here it goes to your viewing pleasure.

Shiatsu Self Massage Chart

2011-06-07T20:47:00.001-07:00

I have received this chart of self massage and it is called shiatsu self massage. This is type of therapeutic self massage that originated in japan and later it combined with traditional Chinese medicine and western techniques as well. These methods are scientifically proven to be beneficial and can be easily performed by ones self or with help of a partner. Here are some of the charts i got.

Ancient art of fighting and self defence in sri lanka (a.k.a Angampora)

2011-06-07T07:53:00.000-07:00

When someone says the "Art of fighting", anyone will definitely get a picture of Chinese fighting techniques such as "Kung Fu" or "Thai-chi". If you are a fan of martial arts movies, you will also think of techniques such as "Samurai", "Aikido" or karate. All these arts of fighting involves either hand to hand combat or using weapons and they were primarily invented for self defense. Even if you look at the western world there are many techniques. What i am going to tell you now is a technique that is less known to the world, and kept as a closely guarded secret form of martial arts among ancient sri lankan islanders. The technique might share some of the weapons that is used in indian fighting techniques but most of it is unique to Sri Lanka. This sri lankan technique of fighting is called "Angampora" in sinhala language. This ancient form of fighting not only consist of hand to hand and weapon fighting, it also has ways of using mystical magical powers and energies to put down their opponents. According to what i have come across, angampora fighting technique is not thought to everyone but only to a chosen person can be a apprentice, the ancient masters feared that this lethal fighting method will fall in to wrong hands, So the apprentices are chosen carefully by doing a mystical ceremony to ensure that he or she has a heart of pure good. Even to this day, very small number of people still practice and keep the ancient tradition alive. Here are some pictures of angampora which i received, so i thought i would share it on my blog.

These pictures will show you some demonstrations of the practice as well as before the apprentices start their daily routine of practice, they begin it with a Buddhism oriented ceremony.

If you are interested in "Angampora" you can search for this sri lankan drama named "Dadubasnamanaya" which was shown in early 90's in sri lankan television. It will give a complete idea of what it is plus a deep story about two families who knows this technique of fighting and mastered it.

Crossing few ghost towns towards the sea....

2011-06-06T07:34:00.000-07:00

Few days back, my brother in law came up with an idea that he would want to buy a motorcycle for him self for his use so i told him that he should go for a second hand Japanese motorcycle. I have called few contacts that i know of and found out that there is a Suzuki GS125 motorcycle for sale in this south west coast town we called "Kaluthara". We decided to take a ride down to the town and have a look at it, in the end he ended up buying it because it was in fairly in good condition and fits his criteria. We were suppose to take the main road towards the "Kaluthara" but instead i thought we should take a rural road cutting across few main roads going through some villages (actually i like to call them ghost towns because of many folk tales coming from these semi-remote villages are about ghosts), and ending up in the main road that leads to the south of the island. So on the way we have stopped for some drinks and i thought it's a nice shady (Ghost town looking) place to take a picture in the mid-day. I thought id share it with the world. So here i am, armed with my trusty good ol' Honda XL250R.....

My Grand Father's Clock ( The Ol' Seth Thomas Clock )

2010-09-14T23:09:00.000-07:00

When i was a little boy who was in the kindergarten i still remember something that my grandfather always use to say every time he finishes weekly winding-up of the ol' seth thomas clock. "After me, you will inherit this and it will bring you good luck". That was about twenty years ago from the date of this blog post. He was a "Plantation clark" and a "Manager" of the company named "Whittall boustead" which was established in sri lanka during british colonization era. During the shifting of the company, this clock was given to my grandfather by the boss of the company who was a Englishmen as a gift and even at that time it was an antique. From then it was his possession. It was a "Seth Thomas made in USA, Grand Octagon wall clock". Clock worked perfectly fine with a one flaw which could not be repaired. Clock shows perfect time but hourly alarm automatically advances because of a broken wheel. My father says, my grand father tried to get it repaired but he failed because of unavailability of the parts. My grand father fell in to a coma on 2002 and that was the last of him which we knew. He never recovered to his original state of mine after that. It was a time of turmoil in my family and during this time this piece of antique was permanently lost among the sands of time. Grand father passed at the age of 74 on 2006 July from his ill state and coma.

I was looking for this clock all over the place but i could not find it. About four to five months back i was cleaning a whole heap of junk in my parents home and i came across a wooden box, rotted out with termite attack, rain water and all weather hazards. I quickly dragged it out of clatter because it resembled the housing of the clock. I was right, it is the clock, the octagon was broken, glasses are all destroyed. The housing is completely beyond repair. Minute and hour hands were missing, the brass drop is also missing. I quickly recovered the mechanical parts from the housing and on the time that i finished cleaning up the junk pile i have completely recovered all the metal parts of the clock including minute and hour hands, the drop and the engine etc. I was so happy but i was in a huge doubt of getting it restored because it is a piece of antique. I searched for a person who can do this job and i found a good clock-smith in nearby town who specialize in restoring antique clocks but at a very high price. I took the restoration of this clock as my duty because my grand father always use to say that i am the owner of it after him. So i took it to the repairmen and after three months of careful inspection, pain staking re-oiling process, and the hardest of all finding a perfect wheel for hourly alarm which where my grand father failed to do, i manage to restore the Ol' Seth Thomas back to it's original factory state. Today it hangs in my home wall displaying accurate time and hourly alarm with the charm of old world. Most important of all it keeps the Memory of my grand father alive and cherished among us. I am sure wherever he is, he will be happy, rested and may attain Nibbāna.

The picture displays the completely restored "Ol' Seth Thomas Octagon Wall clock".

The most famous and beloved japanese motorcycle in sri lanka...

2009-12-09T22:18:00.000-08:00

I have done a rigorous search to find "Which is the most famous and beloved motorcycle and it's brand in this island?" and guess what i came across. Just like i predicted. There is no two words to it, all the Japanese motorcycle users love "HONDA" that's the brand of Sri Lankan motorcycle enthusiasts, commutes, lovers you name it.... it is the "HONDA" they all love and trust. Next biggest challenge was, was there a specific bike? Specific model?. Well friends, nearly 80% of Japanese motorcycles used in Sri Lanka is none other than the trusty classic "Honda Benly CD125T & Honda CD-TWIN 125". I see these sweet little bikes almost everywhere, from weeks village fish markets to city crowded shopping mall parks. So i decided to inquire few of the users to see what they say. People say amazing things about this bike and i thought i gather few of the stuff to post on my blog so the world knows.

Here is why Sri Lankan Islanders love "Honda Benly CD125T"

Japanese made "Honda" Reliability and extreme durability
Economical Fuel Consumption ( 40 - 48 KMPL )
125CC Inline Twin Engine capable of carrying a 1 person to several people
Economical maintenance
Availability of spare parts
Simple engine architecture that any grease monkey can fix in a jiffy
Strong structure & Frame that is capable of carrying weights that no other 125cc motorcycles can carry
Comfortable two wheeled vehicle for a daily commuting even for a family of three.

Above are just to name a few. So i decided to ride couple of them and it is true what they say.... it's a amazing little bike that can do big things and of course i must add that looks also counts.... it has the vintage motorcycle look which i love the most. If you ever come to Sri Lanka and you will see what i am talking about. I have come across benlys and cdtwins ranging from few months old to nearly forty years old and i can see they with stand very well in the test of time in this tropical island. Prices are also vary and reconditioned unregistered bikes will cost somewhere between 2000US$ and upwards while you can still find registered same models for around 1300US$ etc and older CD-TWIN non CDI models can be found around 350US$ and above.

Engine Specifications

125CC Inline Twin Engine
Front and Rear Drum breaks ( easy maintenance )
Twin Exhausts
Fuel : Petrol
Strong Headlight Beam
Fuel Consumption 40 - 48 Kilometers per litre of petrol.