No smoking please

 

I was the youngest kid of the family and my father was already 48 years old and mother 43 years old when I was born to them. Both my parents had survived impoverished childhoods, had grown up in villages in Kerala, had migrated out of the village for work and were living very busy lives with my three much older siblings when I was born. At the time the brother closest to me in age, 8 years older to me, was born, they were living in London U.K. My father had accepted an opening in the Indian High Commission in London after he retired prematurely as a soldier in the Indian Army. They lived in London for four years and all the children had British accents when they came back to India after the posting.

One of the perks of working in the High Commission meant that my dad had a smoking allowance. This monthly allowance was a good amount of money even for those days. Almost equal to if not more than his salary. The idea was always to earn extra money to help look after his growing family, but he wasn't going to be dishonest and so he took to smoking.

When he came back to India after giving up this job, he presented his remaining stock of cigarettes and his lighter to one of my uncles. The uncle was very happy to receive a few cartons of imported cigarettes as they were quite a novelty. He asked my father why he didn't want to smoke them himself. To this my father replied, "In the U.K. I received an allowance to smoke. Here smoking will take away from my salary. So, no, I don't want the cigarettes." Remarkably, he never took up the habit again.

That was why and how my father stopped smoking. For him the reason he started and ended that vice was the same. All his actions were guided by his desire to be of benefit to his family.

Meet multifaceted Daniel Vaz- Head Coach Nike Run Club, trainer, marathoner and Aerospace Engineer

 

35kms - Khadakwasla

In India, so many people study hard, achieve amazing heights in school and college and make a huge effort to make all their financial dreams come true. Very often these studious people work so hard academically that their focus is just that. Studies and careers. Not Mr. Daniel Vaz though. Having done his B.Tech in Aerospace Engineering from I.I.T Mumbai he's currently still working at 63 as the C.E.O of a company that specialises in climate control in process industries. This is just his work! What he does outside of it is equally if not more interesting. 

Health and Fitness has always been an important part of Daniel's life. He was a footballer for most of his life and so one could consider him generally very fit. But life gave him a new direction when one of his friends asked him to accompany him to participate in a marathon back in 1996. This was really uncharted territory for most civilians back then. Most of the participants in that Pune International Marathon were elite runners from the defense forces. Daniel and his friend received vests to track their time for a nominal fee. When they reached the halfway mark, they were deemed too slow by the organisers and asked to leave the competition. Daniel remembers not liking what he experienced at that halfway point and left determined to better his speed.

In those pre-internet years, Daniel found a book written by a runner named Bruce Tulloh on distance running. He used the book as his guide to start training regularly. This training became a part of his daily life while work and home were also a priority. In 2002, the same friend asked Daniel to participate with him again. This time it would be a recreational marathon in Goa organised by the Goa Salgaonkar Sports Club. He had seen the ad in the Times of India newspaper. They called the organiser and registered for the race which was to be run from Benaulim beach to Vasco M Corporation. They were two among only 27 runners who were to run the 42 kms. From the runners who participated, only 12 completed the race. Daniel was the runner in the 12th spot. He was asked by the ambulance accompanying the runners to give up somewhere along the way as they were informed that the 11 runners in front of him had already nearly finished the race. Daniel asked them to go to the finish line and not wait for him and continued to run. He had friends cheering him on, who would give him water when required and he just focused on finishing the race. At an amazing 3h 55mins Daniel crossed the finish line to a thundering applause thanks to the fact that the winners of the race were being awarded their medals at that exact moment.

Coach- Nike India

These two races were key to Daniel's hunger to understand his body and its capacities during a long distance run. His training continued with vigour for the next couple of years. India was now seeing the beginning of modern marathon runs with the Mumbai Marathon's first edition in 2004. Daniel continued to participate in the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathons every year. Now his name figures amongst the Mumbai Marathon Legends. In 2019, he received a permanent BIB number. He chose 810 which were the first three digits of his I.I.T membership number. Daniel has run 46 full marathons which include several famous overseas marathons. Travelling to participate in a marathon abroad became part of his family's vacation plans. Some of the overseas races he did till date are Berlin, Wurzburg, London, Lausanne in Switzerland, Budapest, Istanbul and the Lochness marathon in Iverness, Scotland.

Addressing Nike runners

Berlin marathon - 2017

Budapest marathon - 2019

London marathon - 2024

Around 2007, Daniel started offering long distance training advice by participating in seminars  in the domain of Recreational Running to employees of different companies like Mahindra & Mahindra, Colgate Palmolive, Standard Chartered and Chase Manhattan. He was also asked to train cadets  in the Goa Navy Physical Training School.  From 2008 onwards, he has been the Head Coach for the Nike Run Club. 

In the same vein, Daniel emphasizes that only last month, Nike organised a special  'After Dark' run in Mumbai and it was a Women's only edition. He worked for them as the Race Director on this occasion. 

He also backs his knowledge on running long distances with a solid certification that brings his experience on terrain and scientific accreditation together. He has a C.S.C.S certification (Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist) from the N.S.C.A (National Strength & Conditioning Association, U.S.A). He has had the honour of being Race Director for the Mangalore Triathlon, Mangalore Beach Festival's Half and Full Marathon.

Race Director Mumbai Ultra 12hrs

There is another interesting race where he is Race Director since 2019, the 12 hour Mumbai Ultra. In this race that is held on the 15th of August every year, participants run from the Veer Savarkar Smarak in Shivaji Park to Worli which counts as one loop. They run for 12 hours and try to make as many loops as they can in that duration. The winner is the one who completes the time with the maximum number of loops.

Health Coach, Nivea 2022 - 23

Daniel also worked as Health coach to Nivea when they launched deodorant for marathoners in 2022-23.

Mr. Vaz is also a writer for Fit Page India, a website where he has contributed more than 150 articles. The site covers everything under the Sun about running. He has advice about Strength Training, Running, GPS watches, the new technology Sweat Patches that checks the hydration level in the runner's body during long distances etc. Daniel also offers online training to several aspiring Marathon and Ultra Marathon runners who use his program to train for races that range from 42-50kms to 100kms or 100miles (160kms) across the world. Some of these races are the Ladakh Full Marathon and the Khardungla 72kms which is at very high altitude, 11000 feet and above. Other races include the Border 100 which is an Ultra that is held in the desert in Rajasthan. There are also runners training for the Comrades 90kms run held in South Africa.

Podium at Bangalore Ultra 2010

Daniel trains and motivates runners live when he runs with his running group, Road Burners in and around the Kandivali - Malad areas.

It's hard to believe that a man who does so many things for leisure works at such a high post in a Company. He doesn't seem to want to slow down despite having endured all sorts of running-related injuries. He just works on getting better and better at something that brings him immense satisfaction and joy. I'm super happy to have spoken to someone who has seen and helped India in getting fitter first hand and is actively contributing to the overall health of everyone around him. We can all learn what stamina, endurance, grit, determination, failure and success means when we look at the way Daniel has lived his life, from dreaming to doing to achieving. Kudos!

Daniel can be contacted on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dan_zico/ or FB https://www.facebook.com/danzico

Henry Love- Instagram series - uploaded 6th June

 

Henry Anger - Instagram series - uploaded on 3rd June 2025

 

Rant on the courier systems, post and delivery of goods in Belgium

 

The world today produces more and more. We all are aware of the tons of stuff that are  being produced every single day all over the world. Whether they are clothes, appliances, hardware, household goods, the supply of goods is ever increasing and in your face. You scroll for five seconds on your mobile phone and you have an ad pop up showing you a sparkling new product that you can buy. The crazy thing is that often what used to cost us maybe 100 Euro years ago costs a fraction of that cost. Yes, it's nice for a simple consumer to be happy about this but the flip side is that everything related to quality is seeing a downgrade. From the product itself to even the delivery of these products.

Ever since COVID, the online industry has seen a massive rise in consumers opting for the convenient method of scrolling and clicking their products. The companies promise super rapid delivery and yes within 24 hours very often you have the product in your hands. I, as a conscious shopper, avoid using these methods to shop. But for those who do, it's worthwhile to look at the faults in a system that allows for cheap products, reduction in delivery timings and its ironic consequences.

In the last few years, despite not buying anything online myself, I have noticed that because our products are cheaper and our delivery timings are reduced, a large number of products ordered by consumers are not reaching them.

In the apartment building in which I live, there are hundreds of residents. The delivery people for various services including the Post, either don't have the time or the inclination to wait for the person who the package is destined for to reach the hallway. They ring the call bell of the owner, gain access into the apartment building and then usually just dump the package in the lobby without waiting for the rightful owner to pick it up. As a result anyone can pick up and steal the package before the bonafide recipient arrives and this is what happens more often than not. I have at least 2 stories of my own where this has happened and I'm aware that this happens in other residential areas too. 

Yesterday was yet another story! The flowers that my older daughter had ordered for her sister were not delivered despite the fact that I was at home. The delivery driver probably did come to the building, he simply left a note saying " sorry, we missed you" on the online app that my daughter used to order the flowers. There was no ringing of the bell or anything to indicate he even came to the building. Now those flowers will have to be picked up one day later from a shop where all these goods land up when the courier person cannot or will not actually reach the person they were destined for.

On any special occasion be it Xmas, New Year and the like, this problem is multiplied maybe a thousand times and products are either not delivered, stolen by neighbours and outsiders or sitting to be picked up the day after in one of the many 'next-to-home' shops.

What is the point really of having this convenience? Creating a world in which products are so cheap that we don't even need them to reach the consumer? When a postman doesn't even have the time to deliver a registered post and just leaves a paper that says go pick the letter from the local office? Who is this benefitting? What sort of world are we going to see in the coming decades? 

Have you experienced something similar? Do share your experience in the comment box below.

My daughter's 18th birthday!

 

18 is an age,
When life has just begun,
When the person inside you..
Feels obliged to be present in everything fun

You know yourself well,
But yet you desire
To know things around you …
Everything hot in your dictionary equals to fire

Silently your body grows while you’re asleep,
You want to claim the world,
You’re so eager to leap

The world is awaiting the reveal of the woman of depth that is in you…
Oh my daughter you will conquer some heights ,
But life will make you experience dips too

Nothing in life is impossible to do,
Nothing or no one should ever make you ashamed of you

You carry your identity,
That’s unique .. it’s true
You’re unique and special
Just one in the world.. who’s you!!

Your mother I became and learnt to laugh loud,
Coming second in our home 
Who you’re becoming makes me proud!

Yes, we fight and bully me you do
But my darling little princess,
I’m on this roller coaster ride ..
With you!

Come back to being a baby,
Sometimes I may indulge you,
The baby you were was so naughty and cute…
Close my eyes and she takes the place of the adult who’s now you.

Strange and Intriguing happenings -#energyfield #openmindedness

 

There are times in life where we do something or discover something that's unique. Where what's happening transcends what is evident to the eye. When doing it and experiencing it we know we will never forget this exact moment. I have a very interesting memory of one such incident when I was 18 or 19. That evening there were two things that I experienced that went beyond what I knew existed in the world.

I was invited by a friend to a conference in town where they were talking about a book in particular. The book had a technique to help us memorize lots of words in a few minutes. Funnily enough, I don't remember much about either the book or the author though. I remember being in a large room full of people, we must have been at least 500-700 people. There was a moment when the speaker announced that he would choose a volunteer from the crowd to demonstrate what he was trying to convey in the book. The moment he uttered the words " I will choose one person from this audience", I knew that person would be me. I guess with that thought, I had sent out the perfect receptor energy. That day I felt the presence of a thread of energy for the first time. It was like I was pulling the speaker to me. He got off the stage, took the stairs and used the big aisle that divided the large room. He walked a little, stopped and looked around. Then he continued walking. Remember there were hundreds of people and several rows of chairs on both sides of the aisle.

When he reached my level, he looked towards the other side first and then turned to look towards my direction. He stood there and pointed at me. He had a mike in his hand, so he said "You, the young girl wearing a brown shirt". I was very stunned by what had just happened. I didn't understand why I had felt the pull of energy or how I knew he would choose me.

I walked up to him and he asked me to accompany him to the stage. I was obviously very scared. It was scary to stand up there in front of so many people. He took me backstage and asked me to listen to a story. Then if I remember well he showed me 50 words on a sheet of paper. The next thing I knew I was speaking to the audience and saying out the words on the list in perfect order. He had put  this list on a screen or board for everyone to see. I was facing the audience and the list of words was behind me. The whole experiment had taken 5-7 minutes backstage. I was scared to make a mistake but somehow knew I wouldn't.

Sometimes in life so many inexplicable things happen around us. The pull of energy between the speaker and me and the fact that I could recite all those words flawlessly are small examples of incidents that paint such mysterious colours into our otherwise normal lives.

Henry - Lies - Instagram series - uploaded 31st May 2025

                                   

                                               

 

50 Countries under 50 - Kavita Kumble - solo traveller, blogger and lover of life

 

Imagine a woman raised in a conservative and traditional Indian family, growing up and settled in Mumbai. The picture we would paint would have responsibilities, probably juggling a career and family,  childbearing years, raising a family, taking care of her parents and her in-laws, countering life's challenges alongside her husband, managing chores and routines. Some precious time to take care of herself, some time out to meet friends and connect. A woman happy to have these moments for herself.

If we take the exact same scenario and add just a couple of things in there, like seeking relief by getting out of her routine, wanting to travel and enjoying travel the most in her own company, having a husband and family supportive enough to understand and allow her the liberty and space to do so, we get our very adventurous and happy solo woman traveller. 

I think the world is generally a good place but when this solo woman traveller tells me that in the last 11 years of her travelling the world, she hasn't experienced any kind of harassment, I think we're really seeing a global shift of mindsets.  This really makes me happy and I am curious to hear Kavita's story. 

Kavita Kumble is a blogger, travel enthusiast , mother and a banking professional. Her travels have taken her all over the world and the uniqueness of her trips is that she enjoys them on her own. How does she do them and how did she have the courage to start these adventures in her life I ask her? She says that it may have started from watching her mother who travelled within India to all the temples and pilgrimage sites. Kavita found herself often forced to cook at home because her mother used to take off on her trips. These trips brought her mother joy which was easy to see. Despite having to work in the kitchen during those times in her mother's absence, Kavita credits the joy she saw her mother experience through these travels, as the initial push to discover the world herself. 

Yet it was only after her marriage that Kavita actually started travelling seriously. Her husband, it turned out was also married to his work and preferred letting Kavita enjoy her passion on her own. He indicated that he would be happy to listen to her stories second hand.  The first couple of times, Kavita travelled with other women who were similar to her in wanting to discover new horizons and experience new things. She took a trip to Scandinavia in 2014 to Norway, Denmark and Sweden with 25 women. This trip allowed her to take note of the incredible modernity of the Scandinavian countries with their amazing infrastructure. Luckily for Kavita, she loves both continental cuisine and cold weather so the trip there was not difficult for her. She made so many memories and friends and in general it boosted her idea of travel being accessible to her. 

After that first trip and its success, Kavita travelled with another group of women to Jordan. Another trip, another good experience and more confidence gained, Kavita felt that maybe it was time to take the step of stepping out totally on her own. This of course, raised some eyebrows in the family but nobody actually stopped her. In 2016, she excitedly planned every detail of her first solo trip. She backpacked Eastern Europe - from Berlin to Prague to Austria to Budapest on her own. That trip gave her all the confidence and lessons and excitement and highs that she needed to get hooked. The liberty to do what she wanted, when she wanted without having to negotiate, consult or follow someone else became really something that she was no longer willing to give up. 

She has since then covered 50 countries and all the continents. A woman who works hard so that she can spend her money on her priorities in life is an inspiration to so many girls and youngsters. It would be hard for me to get all her travels covered in one article but the most interesting travel she had must take first seat on the post. In December 2017, Kavita travelled solo to Antartica! The idea first came when a friend told her about a group trip to Antartica but the cost was so astronomical that she decided to find a cheaper alternative on her own. Kavita did so much in those 3 weeks when she travelled first from Mumbai to Brazil. Then she missed a flight connection to Argentina and found herself exploring the streets of São Paulo and being forced to really let go of several fears as she spent unplanned time in Brazil. Another challenge was that she had to make it by a specific date to Argentina to board the cruise to Antartica. Several problems later she was able to board that ship. This was her first ever cruise and she travelled onboard with around 200 passengers, mostly French citizens and about 70 Indians. The challenge of this cruise was getting through the Drake Passage where the Ocean is reputed to be very rough, with waves that are 30-40 feet in height. The funny thing is that while going there the sea was completely calm and they didn't feel anything at all but on their way back, they experienced the scenario from hell that we mostly associate with the Titanic type of movies. Cutlery flying everywhere, people being seasick and the ship getting whipped by crazy amounts of water. With the wind wrecking havoc at 150mph, Kavita found herself mostly in her cabin, abstaining from eating or drinking. She remembers having survived on two apples over the two days. Kavita talks of how just before this crazy ocean passage,  she had participated with other passengers in a formal Captain Closing Ceremony. Everyone was dressed to the nines and Kavita wore a white sari with golden glimmer to go with the theme of the evening. From Glamour to Gloom would capture that voyage well I think, imagining this pretty lady dressed in all her finery and then finding herself truly in the heart of a storm.

Kavita claims it was worth every hardship. She had just had a trip that was like going to the moon and back, so surreal, so pristine and so raw. She got to see amazing sea life like hunter whales, penguins, seals all in their natural environment. She remembers witnessing glaciers falling. She talks of how she visited the only bar on a Ukrainian base where there were only men. They were all very happy to see so many new faces and especially so many women. In the bar, to their utter astonishment there was a large display of the most colorful bras. These were of women visitors who are offered 3 vodka shots if they were willing to add their bras to this unique collection of inner wear, for all & sundry to admire.

Kavita fondly remembers this voyage as she met some amazing people on the cruise. She mentions that her neighbour aboard the cruise liner was a French writer. She is in touch with him and many of the people she met on this travel and several others even today. There was yet another surprise in store for them after having to weather the storm and getting back to Argentina. A flash strike welcomed them at the Buenos Aires airport and hence the ship housed its passengers for one more day after which they had to find hotels and make new flight bookings at the last minute. A painful and poignant twist to the trip that made her journey back to India more memorable. Something that can only be truly appreciated in retrospect I think.

When I ask Kavita differences that she finds in herself from when she started travelling on her own more than a decade ago and more recently, she mentions that she has slowed down her pace. Earlier, she was eager to do a lot in little time and now she does little things that matter to her with enough time to savour and enjoy the moment. Whether it be lying down and reading a book in a cemetery in Copenhagen or walking the parks in Paris, or meeting locals on her travels and sharing a meal with them. She also travels lighter than before, rarely with more than a small suitcase. She does carry some Indian food essentials and cooks her own breakfast and dinners in the AirBnBs that she books. Her lunches are local restaurants with local flavours to be discovered.

She fondly remembers Dec 2022 when she spent time in Paris and then travelled to Belgium and stayed in a 12th century castle all alone on a night just after Xmas. She was the only guest in the castle and used some liquid courage and chocolates to get her to sleep. She then returned to Paris and brought in the New Year enjoying the crowded Champs Elysees. 

Another of her recent cool experiences was booking herself a spot in the Coldplay concert while travelling to New Zealand in Nov 2024.

Kavita has done just too many travels for me to do justice to each of her stories but since she is a blogger you can enjoy her travels on her site  and her Instagram. I will leave a list with her details and some of her special travels under.

Along with her mother's travels being a big influence, Kavita has another reason she links to her spirit of adventure. The turning point for her when she started really to make time for herself and what she loves was when she survived a trekking accident back in 2011 where she fell and had a head injury. The 21 staples on her skull and concussion resulted in her making herself a priority. She wants to live life to the fullest ever since she has come back from near death. She even ran a 21kms marathon a year after this accident, against her doctor's advice. Life had given her another chance and she was going to grab it with open arms.

 Her message for women is " Never underestimate the force you have within you. Your voice is your power. Speak up, stand tall and change the world. Be financially independent and create a legacy to inspire all, in which ever way you can." Her daughter is happy to see her mother thriving on her travels and Kavita does take one trip with her family every year. She still has several places on her bucket list and her thirst for travel has not lessened. 

Why I find Kavita unique is that she is an Indian woman who has an otherwise normal life with a job and a family. Still she sets aside time and money for herself and invests in her own well being. She does what she thinks is correct for her and doesn't need other people along to experience and feel that her travels are worthy. The journey and the route and her own company are what bring her joy. Her story is surely an inspiration to many people who want to travel but don't either for want of a partner or for one of several other reasons.

Kavita says she is busy making money to save up for her next trip and we're eager to know the destination she will hone in on. 

Some photos from Kavita's recent travels 

Kavita's blog's home page https://www.kavity.in/

Antartica article https://www.kavity.in/2019/03/the-only-existing-bar-in-antartica/

Skydiving article https://www.kavity.in/2018/09/sky-diving-kill-the-fear/

FB https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=kavita.kumble&set=a.2552219458164225

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kavita_kumble_/

Henry - Insomnia - Instagram series - upload 27th May 2025

 

The Little Red Wallet

 

Life is a wild ride, with its highs and lows, some gains, some losses, some ebbs, some flows. Some things we expect to happen and some things wildly unexpected just happen to us. The way to enjoy this roller coaster ride I have learnt is to sit back, relax and most importantly listen to your gut. The little voice inside us that guides us, nudges us in the right direction and often saves the day. 

This is a story about a time when I was totally tuned into that voice inside me. One Sunday morning, I was about to go and spend time with a couple of friends at a Market near the Gare du Midi. This market has several stalls selling vegetables and fruits, plants, cheap household items and also clothes. It was to be a regular morning where we three women could spend some time together and also maybe manage to pick up some good deals. 

On my way to the market, the red wallet in my handbag, unusually for me, had 45 euros in cash. Two notes of 20 euros and one of 5 euros. I had to stop on the way to give the 40 euros to someone for tickets I'd purchased for an upcoming event. Initially I was thinking of making the drop on the way back but for some reason, I forced myself to go and run the errand before reaching the market. Then I took the tram and reached the market. I knew it was the little voice at play. 

Everything was fine and we were having a good time moving from stall to stall, examining articles, laughing and trying our haggling skills as all true Indians do. However, after about an hour into the shopping spree, I realised that the zip of my handbag was open. When I put my hand into the small handbag, the red wallet was no longer there. I naively continued to move my hand in the small space, hoping the wallet would magically make its way into my hands. No such luck! I told my friends about it. I guess having lived from Mumbai for so many years and not having to travel regularly by public transport had weakened my defense instincts. 

Unfortunately, the stall where we were at was crowded and we looked around but couldn't see anything. Despite my general unease, I somehow knew that the red wallet wasn't going anywhere. The stall owner said that unfortunately pickpocketing was very common and I could wait till the end of the market. That would happen in a couple of hours and I would surely find the wallet. Only the cash would have been taken. I decided to do just that. I calmly called my husband and asked him to block my bank cards. There was nothing else I could do at that moment and so I consciously relaxed. I tagged along with my friends who treated me to a lovely sandwich in the market and then they headed back to their homes. After saying our goodbyes, I refocused on the red wallet. I laughed at my good fortune that the cash lost was only 5 euros and remembered being compelled by an inner feeling to complete my morning errand before coming here to the market.

I trained my eyes on the ground while people were starting to pack up the stalls. Some small trucks were in the premises to take away unsold items. There was a lot of paper and carton trash everywhere. I kept feeling that the story with the red wallet was not finished. I turned a corner and right in the middle of the pathway, standing between the heaps of paper and organic debris on either side of her was a smartly dressed police woman in a blue uniform. She was standing with her side facing towards me, so I was looking at her profile. One of her hands was on her waist and clenched in it was my red wallet, bright and shiny. I knew it. I had felt it. This one was not lost. I walked up to her with a satisfied smile on my lips and told her that the wallet was mine. After opening it up and checking the photo on my identity card which was still inside, the red wallet, albeit without the 5 euros, made its way back into my handbag.

My gut instinct had served me well today, first to pay off the cash I had and avoid losing money. Then to get my little red wallet back. On all counts it had been a successful, fun-filled day indeed.

Kindness Henry - Instagram series - upload on 23rd May 2025