Recently I found out how to get rid of Ads on both WhatsApp and Line. The concept is same for both, pretend to be from a country where the service is not popular.
Get Rid of Ads on WhatsApp
Ads on WhatsApp while subtle, are still irritating for me. The ads are mostly in form of “channels” that some losers pay WhatsApp to promote. Since WhatsApp is very popular in India, using an Indian number to register WhatsApp causes several distasteful channels to be recommended.
WhatsApp channel promotions
The solution was simple (at least for me), change your WhatsApp account to use a number from a country where WhatsApp is not popular. Voila, ads gone.
WhatsApp with an Indian number vs Thai number
Caveat: If the other country doesn’t have Meta AI, you won’t be able to use it in WhatsApp anymore.
Bonus: No more spam from Indian vendors and services.
Now, I understand it may not be possible for everyone to have a number from another country and also, the WhatsApp ads are not so intrusive.
Get rid of bloat and Ads on Line
Line is so much worse when it comes to Ads, bloat and intrusiveness. Just look at how bloated the app is, trying hard to be like WeChat and Facebook.
Line chat list with adsVoomLine TodayLine contact list with ads
There are Ads on almost every page, even on top of the chat list. On top of that, it comes bundled with unnecessary (for me) social networking features. So I tried the opposite trick with Line.
I deleted my Line account which was using a Thai number and registered again with my country selected as India. Voila! A much cleaner app!
Line Chat list without adsLine contact list without ads
The best part is, you don’t need a phone number of the other country at all. You can simply sign in using your Apple or Google ID and be done.
Caveat: You cannot search for other Line users using their phone number, only using their Line ID.
I had been using the Apple iPhone 14 Pro for more than 2 years. But I started yearning to upgrade it as soon as iPhone 16 Pro was announced. I did try to convince myself to wait for another year, but last month, I gave up and bought the iPhone 16 Pro.
The iPhone 16 Pro is a delight to hold without a case
My views on the iPhone 16 Pro
The battery life is much better than the 14 Pro. The phone, now, easily lasts a full day without a top-up. Although I do top-up during the day most days.
Charging is much faster (Including wireless) and the phone emits less heat while charging.
The cameras are a modest improvement. I don’t see a big difference in picture quality most of the times, but for low-light photos, I do see an improvement. Portrait photos are also faster now, with motion frozen. The 5x zoom is useful, but I, personally haven’t found a use-case for it till now. Disappointed that portrait mode photos are still 12MP.
The phone feels much cooler while using. It didn’t overheat once during initial setup, which was more or less guaranteed on the 14 Pro.
It is such a relief to remove the last lightning port personal device from my life and get rid of all remaining lightning cables.
The display is slightly bigger (Although with similar specs) and the bezels slightly smaller, but I don’t notice any of that because I switched from using my phone with a case/screen guard, to using without it, which made a bigger difference.
I can finally fulfil my desire to use my phone without a case. Overall, the phone is extremely pleasurable to hold naked.
The Titanium sides are not glossy like the 14 Pro, almost matte. Looks beautiful and elegant. Doesn’t slip when holding.
The edges are not as sharp as on the 14 Pro.
There’s a pronounced slope when the phone is resting on its back, because of the huge camera island. And since the island is on one side, not in the centre, it is impossible to use the phone when it is lying on a flat surface, as it flops around.
iPhone 16 Pro slope because of camera bump
iPhone 16 Pro Titanium White
Lessons learnt when selling the old Phone
Going to great lengths to keep the phone in pristine condition without a single scratch is not worth it. At the end of the day, it hardly earns any extra money while selling it.
Things like cases, screen guards are all dead weight.
Paying to replace the battery is useless because no one pays extra for battery health.
I’ll go back in time now and make a list of all the mobile handsets I have owned till date. You may notice that the list is quite long, with it being especially dense in the first few years.
The iPhone X still holds the record of the longest used mobile handset by me (almost 3 years).
Good phone, died on the flight to Palo Alto. I spent an entire weekend in San Francisco and many days in Gurgaon trying to get it repaired, but failed.
As you can see, my mobile handsets have gone through different eras:
2003-2005 : Feature Phone era. I generally bought any handset I liked. 2005-2011 : Symbian Era. I mostly had Symbian phones with some other platforms sprinkled in between. 2012-2015 : Lumia Era. I purely had Windows Phones. 2017-Present : Apple Era.
Unlike the more popular beaches near Bangkok, Chaosamran beach is on the eastern coast of Thailand, just short of Cha Am and Hua Hin.
I left on a monday morning, so getting out of Bangkok was painful, with many traffic hot spots. Once out of the metropolitan area, I found the highway quite similar to Pattaya and Ayutthaya. Not very pleasant to ride a motorcycle on.
Having already crossed the running-in period, I opened the throttle a few times and touched 120 kmph at a few spots.
Thankfully, the weather has cooled down by some amount, so the ride was comfortable.
Highway 35 to Phetchaburi ProvinceBang Chak station, Samut Songhkhram
Once in Phetchaburi province, off the main highway, the roads were surrounded by lush green fields and I enjoyed the ride more at a sedate 80 kmph.
Lush fields at Phetchaburi Rural Road
The beach, itself was almost empty of both tourists and vendors. It was quite peaceful to sit on the sea wall with my legs hanging over the ledge (Reminded me of our Futala lake jaunts).
Meteor 350 at Chaosamran beachMeteor 350 at Chaosamran beach
However, the sun was still quite strong, so my skin started burning soon, so I left for a nice coffee and snacks at this cafe.
Chicken & Mushroom Pie, Espresso Frappuccino
Soon, leaving the comfort of the air conditioning, I started my trip back home. I did most of the return trip between 110-120 kmph and reached home under 2 hours.
I have been using the Apple Watch Series 7 for almost 3 years without any complaints, nor had a yearning to upgrade. However, the battery health went down gradually over the years. Eventually, at 79% health, I couldn’t even complete a 10k with it playing music while connected to LTE. Fighting back the urge to get the Series 9 or Ultra 2, I decided to wait for the Apple Watch Series 10 and buy that. Strangely in Thailand, it was launched much later, even after India.
Since I experienced a financial windfall, I decided to move up to the Titanium variant.
Apple Watch Series 10 Natural Titanium with Natural Milanese LoopApple Watch Series 10 showing silver colour
My views on the watch
Titanium is absolutely gorgeous. As you can see in the photos above, the watch has a golden hue in warm lighting and silver in cool lighting. At some angles, looks jet black, too.
I had planned to use the Milanese Loop only when going out and my old Braided Solo Loop all other times for comfort. However, I found the Milanese loop much more comfortable than I had assumed, so I almost always wear that.
Wrist temperature monitoring is good to have, but I wasn’t yearning for it.
I can see the difference in screen size, but don’t find it revolutionary. I thought it would look comically big on my wrist, but thankfully, doesn’t. The bigger bezels are also hardly noticeable.
I don’t find the watch any faster or any better in any other way.
I don’t see any changes or improvements to exercise tracking (Except the better battery life, of course).
I can’t remember to use the pinch gestures to decline calls etc.
Apple Watch Series 10 on the dawg’s wrist
Overall, I can say that the upgrade from Aluminium to Titanium is a bigger upgrade, compared to technical improvements (From Series 7 to Series 10) which are nice-to-have but not revolutionary.
Recently, I participated in a 10k running event called Garmin Run Asia Series 2024. As the name says, it is organised by Garmin every year, in different cities, across Asia. This time, the Bangkok run was organised at Rajamangala Stadium, where I went a day before to collect the race pack.
Rajamangala Stadium on Race Pack collection day
The Run
Since the run started in the stadium, it had a sporty feel to it. However, outside the stadium, most of it was in the back-alleys behind.
It had rained the night before, so the weather was cool, although humid.
Overall, I didn’t find the run as well-organised as the others I have done before. I couldn’t see any pacers in our run, although the event page did say they would be there. Also, it was a bit scary running on roads with buses whizzing by at high speeds inches from you. Even though there were traffic cones, one slip on the wet roads would have sent someone under the buses.
Garmin Run Asia Series 10k Heat Map
The Statistics
Unlike my previous runs where I go all-in for the first 5k and then sort of fizzle out, this time, I maintained a more or less steady pace throughout.
Garmin Run Asia Series 10k statsGarmin Run Asia Series 10k splits
You can see how the heart rate was more or less steady, rather than a sine-wave like before.
Garmin Run Asia Series 10k Heart Rate
As always, my favourite part was riding back after the run and watch the sun rise. Bangkok is beautiful early in the mornings.
Garmin Run Asia Series 2024 Participation MedalGarmin Run Asia Series 2024 Participation Medal
This was also my new watch’s first 10k, after I sold my older one.
Continuing my series, this is my latest road trip, to Prachinburi province.
Since I installed the CarPlay unit on my motorcycle, I had been eager to test it out on a day trip. The opportunity presented itself last Monday, when I just couldn’t bring myself to go to work. I took the day off and headed out on the highway towards Prachinburi province.
I left around 7:30 in the morning and immediately got caught up in morning rush hour traffic. Excruciatingly made my way out of Bangkok and was rewarded with beautiful tree-lined 2 lane roads similar to Nakhon Nayok.
Highway 3481 from Bangkok to Prachinburi
The route follows the Bang Pakong river for much of the way and is dotted with ponds and lakes on both sides.
Next to a lake on highway 3481
Khao Ito Waterfall
The approach road to the waterfall turns into a hilly forest-like area and is eerily quiet.
Approach road to Khao I To waterfall
The waterfall itself is not touristy at all and has absolutely no facilities. On the brighter side, there are no entrance fees or parking fees.
At Khao I To waterfall
There was a lone man at the waterfall, washing his clothes. And a few friendly dogs.
Man washing clothes at Khao I To waterfall
I spent around 30 minutes enjoying the peace and quiet and the washing of clothes) before I headed back.
Khao I To waterfall, Prachinburi
I had a nice coffee here and then headed back home. Also, on the way back, my motorcycle crossed 2000km and officially finished its running in period, so I opened the throttle. I kept my speed between 90 kmph and 110 kmph and reached before the expected time.
Since this was the first day trip with the new CarPlay unit, I present an addendum to this post on how it performed.
The POI data on Apple Maps has improved vastly over the last few years. Still, I found myself double checking with Google Maps before leaving.
Apple Maps/Google maps with “Toll Roads” and “Motorways” turned off provide almost the same directions in Thailand as Google Maps motorcycle navigation.
With navigation, Wireless CarPlay, musicstreaming & location sharing, the battery drained (while connected to the motorcycle USB port) from
94% to 81% over 2.5 hours on the way to Prachinburi
71% to 58% over 2 hours on the way back
Approx 5% battery drain per hour – Not ideal, but not too bad.
When I reached my destination, the phone had an overheating message, but I didn’t notice anything different on the CarPlay unit
iPhone overheated
Apple Maps is much more beautiful to look at, with 3D structures on the map. Also, I really liked how the app switches to 2D and zooms in just before a turn. Also, I found the colours & graphics better than Google Maps.
Apple Maps with 3D buildings on CarPlay
You have to make a conscious effort to not look at the display too long and focus on the road instead. Also, it is incredibly distracting using the touch screen while riding; I suggest stopping before using it.
While connected to CarPay, Apple Music sends the audio to the CarPlay unit, not the AirPods. It can be overridden from the phone, but not from the unit itself. This means you can start music only from the phone, but can control it from the CarPlay unit later.
An easy workaround to this is to connect your bluetooth headset to the CarPlay unit, not to the phone.
There was an instance while coming back when the phone refused to connect to the CarPlay unit. I restarted the CarPlay unit, which didn’t do anything. Then I restarted the phone and it connected fine. I have seen this before with cars, too, so I blame the phone.
Apple CarPlay Error
With festivals coming up, there may not be too many solo trips for the next few weeks.
As you know, I have been going on road trips infrequently & relying on Royal Enfield’s tripper navigation system for directions. Although, initially I was impressed by the simple nature of the tripper, eventually I found it a bit too simplistic for road trips. I took wrong turns one too many times and got lost. Overall, I must have spent many hours re-tracing my steps. Also, it was not compatible with my polarised sunglasses (Had to tilt my head to see).
Before my next trip, I decided to upgrade the navigation system on my Meteor 350. I initially considered dedicated units from Garmin and TomTom, but found them too expensive and the ongoing subscription fees too cumbersome.
Eventually, I found out that they make Apple CarPlay systems for motorcycles and decided on getting one.
Meteor 350 console
I did some research and found out that there are no “reputable” companies that make Apple CarPlay systems for motorcycles. However, there are many Chinese brands, all cheap as dirt. I decided to get one with the highest ratings on Lazada. It was so cheap, I had almost no expectations from it.
CarPlay unitCarPlay unit with power cables and mount
It came in a simplistic box with power cables and a mount.
My aims from this project were:
Use the same power supply/cable as the tripper – Partial success
Fit it in the same space as the tripper – Partial success
Bye Bye Tripper
The first step was getting rid of the Tripper. To give myself more space, I needed to remove the windshield first, which can be done using an Allen Key.
Removing the tripper from the Meteor 350 involves unscrewing 2 bolts, one of them the main handlebar bolt.
Unscrewing and screwing back the main handlebar bolt requires epic strength and I had to do it twice because the first time I forgot the washer.
Meteor 350 tripper removed
Power supply
I really-really wanted to re-use the existing connector of the tripper to connect the new CarPlay unit, but the holes were too small to fit the cables in them. Also, I couldn’t find a matching male connector for the other side, seems proprietary.
Meteor 350 Tripper Power connector
It pained me to no extent to take a blade and chop off the connector; on a brand-new bike, possibly voiding the warranty.
Here. I also discovered that the Tripper supply had 3 wires, red, black and white. After different combinations, I realised
Red-to-Red & Black-to-Black – Always ON : Not good
White-to-Red & Black-to-Black – Power ON with ignition : What I wanted
CarPlay wiring connected to tripper power supplyTripper power used for CarPlay unit
I taped up the electrical carnage the best I could, but it felt dirty and a “jugaad“. So I went to an electrical store and purchased a cheap terminal block and connected the wires to that. Then I used copious amounts of acrylic sealant to waterproof it the best I could.
Terminal block to connect the powerTerminal block sealed with SiliconeTerminal block sealed off using weatherproof tape
For good measure, I also wrapped it up with weatherproofing tape.
Mounting the unit
For me, the ideal situation would be if I could fit the unit in the same location as the Tripper, recessed inside. However, even with a 5″ display, the unit is a bit too big and must hover above the handlebars.
Also, it clashes with the classic/old-school aesthetics of the motorcycle.
Apple CarPlay unit on Meteor 350
Final result, from front
The Unit
The unit itself seems to be incredible value for money. Apple CarPlay works as expected.
Apple CarPlay Home ScreenGoogle Maps navigation on Apple CarPlay
The display is relatively low-res which may be a good thing because I am concerned about battery drain on the phone.
The display is bright enough to be seen in full sunlight through sunglasses. Additionally, the brightness can be increased above the default.
CarPlay unit display settingsCarPlay unit software version
The unit boots up within 5 seconds of Power ON and the phone automatically connects via Apple CarPlay within a few more seconds.
One strange thing is, the aspect ratio of the physical display and the aspect ratio of the beamed display are not exactly same; consequently, the Apple CarPlay UI seems a bit squished from the sides. It is barely noticeable and certainly not bothersome.
The worst thing to come out of this project is that Google Maps doesn’t seem to support motorcycle routes on Apple CarPlay (Or on Android Auto, it turns out).
Google Maps doesn’t support motorcycle directions on Apple CarPlay
This means Google Maps and Apple Maps are now on equal footing for me. The workaround with both is to disable Toll Roads and Motorways and use car navigation.
Ongoing concerns
Some things I am concerned about, which only time will tell
I am concerned whether the USB port that charges the phone (Nothing to do with this unit) can provide enough juice to keep the phone topped off during operation. Worst case, I am expecting wireless Apple CarPlay to consume more power than the charger can provide and the phone to eventually discharge over a trip.
Only time will tell how rugged the unit is – Concerns are temperature, vibrations and water resistance. Even if it lasts 1 year, it would be worth the monies.
I am not at all confident about how good a job I did with the waterproofing the terminal block. Of course, I may have void the warranty on the motorcycle already by snipping the wires.
Overall, excited to test this out during my next trip!
Continuing my series, this is my latest road trip, to River Khwae Bridge, in Kanchanaburi province.
The Bridge Over the River Kwai
The Bridge over the River Kwai is part of the infamous Death Railway that was constructed during World War II.
The bridge was built by the Japanese to support their military campaigns. Over 60,000 Allied prisoners of war and 200,000 Asian laborers were forced into backbreaking labor under brutal conditions to build this railway. The construction resulted in an enormous loss of life, earning the railway its grim nickname.
The bridge itself became an iconic part of this story, tragically immortalized in the 1957 film “The Bridge on the River Kwai” which brought international attention to the horrifying conditions endured by the workers.
This trp was not planned in advance. However, I couldn’t sleep well the night before and after wasting many hours doing nothing, I decided to make a day trip out of it.
I left at 7 in the morning and didn’t encounter much traffic leaving Bangkok. The highway 338 to Kanchanaburi wasn’t as intimidating as Pattaya or Ayuthaya. In fact, it felt like most Indian highways.
Meteor 350 on Highway 338 from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi
Things got better through the trip, the roads within Kanchanaburi criss-crossing small villages with ponds around them.
Meteor 350 near a village pond
I stopped only once on my way there and it took me 2.5 hours to cover the 170km distance.
At the bridge itself, there were not too many tourists, just one Japanese group.
River Khwae Bridge, Kanchanaburi
River Khwae from the bridge, Kanchanaburi
After pending some time at the bridge, I went to the Starbucks at TMK Park, Kanchanaburi for a snack and a coffee.
A funny train at Kanchanaburi
Espresso Frappuccino & Chicken and Mushroom PieMeteor 350 at TMK Park, Kanchanaburi
Fun Return Trip
The return trip was much more adventurous. First I did what I always do and accidentally entered a motorway; requiring me to back-track for many kilometres. When I did get on the right route, it started raining heavily, and I had to stop. I started again when the rain stopped, but it started raining again and I had to stop for the second time.
First Rain Stop at KanchanaburiSecond Rain Stop at Kanchanaburi
After waiting for a while, I realised that if I keep stopping like this, I won’t get home, so I powered through the rain. It was exhilarating riding at 80 kmph on a 2 lane road during heavy rain.
Soon, the rain stopped and the sun came out in full force, burning my skin because the rain had washed away the sun block. I went through 2 such cycles of wet-dry, but my shoes and socks remained wet throughout.
Eventually, I reached Bangkok via Chinatown, completely filthy and was glad to take a shower.
This was one of the best road trip I ever had and I look forward to doing it again in the future.
Continuing my series, this is a recent road trip, to Ayuthaya. I did this trip because Wanderlust suddenly struck me, but it was too late in the day to go any further.
Ayuthaya: A Glimpse into History
Founded in 1350, it served as the second Siamese capital after Sukhothai. The city flourished as a major trading post and diplomatic hub, connecting the East and West through maritime routes. Its strategic location along the Chao Phraya River made it an essential nexus for international commerce. By the end of the 17th century, Ayuthaya had become one of the world’s largest urban areas and cosmopolitan centers.
Ayuthaya is famous for its impressive ruins of temples, monasteries, and statues of immense historical and cultural value. The cityscape is dotted with towering prangs (reliquary towers) and stupas that are quintessential to Thai architecture.
I had been here before, but I wanted to make the short trip on motorcycle.
I left after a heavy lunch, around noon. The initial route within the city was same as Nakhon Nayok, once out of the city, it was similar to the highway to Pattaya. I was always a bit stressed that I would unknowingly stray on to the motorway where motorcycles are not allowed.
Meteor 350 on the highway from Bangkok to Ayuthaya
The highway was dotted with big factories each giving off a different smell, some really pungent. All concrete, no greenery to speak of.
One thing I noticed during this trip that the Sump Guard which I had installed recently is reflecting more engine noise towards me. I am not exactly sure whether I would keep it or get rid of it.
Sump Guard on Royal Enfield Meteor 350
I did the entire trip in one go. At Ayuthaya, I just drove around the city aimlessly without stopping.
Meteor 350 near a Stupa at Ayuthaya
On the way back, I ran into some drizzle, so stopped at a Gas station for a few minutes. Luckily it was over soon and I returned home on time.
