Tata Punch.ev, Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, Audi Q3

Two weeks ago, I test drove the Tata Punch.ev for my dad. He has a leg problem that causes pain and strain in his left leg, so I want him to switch to an automatic car. We initially went to get the Tata Nexon—parents like Tata (no surprises there); Nexon is decently big for mom, and suits dad's regular commute. However, the Punch.ev is a better car. It is far better designed on the exterior than the Nexon or Nexon.ev. My dad fell in love with it, and so did I. The Nexon just didn't have that finish. We might go ahead with the Punch.ev.

I've also started noticing the perfect body shape ratio of cars—something luxury cars often achieve. The height-to-tyre size ratio (which is horrible in the Jimny), how well-balanced it looks, and its street presence. The new Grand Vitara is one such head-turner for me. It's beautifully designed, although I would have preferred less chrome. I haven’t driven the car, but it looks beautiful.

The Q8 and even the Q3 Sportback are my recent favorites. Audi designs way better than BMW or Mercedes. With the new trend of coupe SUVs, the silhouette of the X4/X6 looks oddly similar to the GLE/GLC coupes. That's where the Q8/Q3 did a sportback (coupe-style) version but with a sharp slant instead of an arc. It looks fantastic and unique, reminding me of the Urus.

Travel influencers

Why don’t travel influencers talk about the bad aspects of places they visit? Or at least what’s good and bad in a place? And why do they not recommend local food enough?

Who am I to complain? They're doing something, at least. Anyway, last month we went to Andaman for a short break to celebrate our third year anniversary. We didn’t like it (my wife asked me not to use strong words like "hate"). So, while you'll only ever consume the positive content about this place, let me share some of my experiences.

It's not a bad place. It's decent. I think if one's a beach person (my wife is), they'd enjoy other popular destinations more. I didn’t like it because I went with a picture of an island in my head: tropical, lots of fruits, lots of local food, and great seafood.

It had none of that. The fruits were worse than the ones we find in Bengaluru; the food was bad, and the seafood was bad. The beaches were bad. I’d rather go to Gokarna or Goa in India to enjoy everything properly. Of course, it’s subjective. I didn’t like it, but you might. I’m okay to be the anti-influencer and tell you that you won’t miss anything by not visiting Andaman.

Fitness trackers

Last week, I had to return the Ultrahuman Ring Air. I loved the product despite the app hiccups and one time replacement due to pairing problems. It continued to have some connection error. The reason I didn't take a replacement again is because a fitness tracker is the last thing I want to be worried about. I want to wear it and then forget about it until the next charging time comes. That's it.

I never truly liked wearing a smartwatch and wanted something as subtle as possible. So, I went back to my FitBit Flex 2. It's a simple tracker that I bought in 2018. It counts steps well, and the Fitbit app is everything I wish other fitness apps were like.

Unfortunately, no one's making subtle wrist fitness trackers anymore. I wish they did. Until the Apple ring comes out, this is what I'll be using.