Set the alarm for 3:30, hoping to start off by 4:30. But the lazy me did not cooperate at all. He was shouting at me to cancel everything and take rest at home. After a lot of struggle I managed to win over him by 7:00.
I drove only till inner ring road, found the left mirror moving like a flag. I stopped and tightened the mirror, hoping that it will not bother me any further. Till I crossed the city, it kept on troubling me. Finally I had to fix it by force. By the time I crossed the city I was totally exhausted... horrible traffic, irritating mirror, hot sun and adding to that, the lazy me had not given up his fight.
Before starting this trip itself I had decided that I am going to eat only local food and drink only normal water. Still I carried a bottle of water from home. After crossing the city I noticed that the luggage was not tied properly, which was causing discomfort to the ride. I stopped by the side of a big tree and started retying the luggage. Thats when I noticed my blunder, that tree and the whole area had lots of monkeys. I managed to tie it fast and slowly slipped off safely, just lucky! The riding comfort got better and I started increasing the speed, suddenly there was some sound... something fell off... it was my water bottle. I stopped to check whether it was in any usable shape... but in vain. Some passer by picked it up and showed me how bad it was. I sighed and resumed by journey.
The body clock was telling me that I should stop for breakfast. Through out the trip I followed the body clock! Every day I woke up by the same time... breakfast, tea, lunch, tea & dinner almost at the same fixed time everyday. I was never so punctual when in city. Finally I found some place for breakfast. This time it was crows, I had to almost fight with them to finish my breakfast. May be, I should have left something for them to eat... I did not! I drank whatever water he gave me. Now with renewed energy I started again full throttle only to be stopped by pot holes. I guess I rode through some scenic route but I was too busy escaping one pot hole after the other. Finally I managed to reach Chamrajnagar for lunch.
(to be continued...)
Monday, October 30, 2006
Day 0 (October 19th, 2006)
Tomorrow is the journey... Bullet and Map are the only things which are ready for the trip. I myself am not sure whether I really want to do it! It's a 1600 Km solo ride. I don't know whether the route I chose will be safe. Too many thoughts... too many possibilities... too many what ifs... Finally I told myself, worst case scenario is that you will never return! Yaa...Hoo... What else can be better :) Now I am all set for my expedition.
Fear is important! You may have guts to do ANYTHING, but what keeps you in control is the fear.
I had to empty all my monies from all bank accounts to fund this trip. First thing I did was to buy a tank full of petrol. Second thing was to buy cycle tubes to tie the luggage. Third thing... happily slept off!
Normally I do my packing just before the start.
Fear is important! You may have guts to do ANYTHING, but what keeps you in control is the fear.
I had to empty all my monies from all bank accounts to fund this trip. First thing I did was to buy a tank full of petrol. Second thing was to buy cycle tubes to tie the luggage. Third thing... happily slept off!
Normally I do my packing just before the start.
Friday, October 27, 2006
THE BEST OF THE BEST
(23rd October '06) This was the day I started my journey back...
Finally I managed to convince myself to make a visit to the temple! It was not out of devotion... there is something very unique about this Goddess, She is the only unmarried deity I know of. I told myself to visit her as a friend and also to see her famous diamond nose drop.
The next major choice I had to make was, what to wear! Like in many south Indian temples, here also men are not allowed to enter the temple with their shirts on. Though I did not want to visit temples in this trip, I still had my silk attire in the backpack. I love wearing it in different south Indian styles. It makes me feel good and it also looks good. This time I thought I should try the Tamilnadu style. I chose a style which will keep me covered fully and also will not violate the rules of the temple.
Here let me say something about about this attire; This is nothing but two pieces of cloth! The real magic is in the way you drape it on you.
The place I stayed is just outside the temple. I kept aside enough time as it is common that you end up waiting in long queues whenever you visit a temple. I gathered all the change I was carrying and put that in my pocket before I started for temple. I walked barefoot and as usual there was a crowd of tourists all over. From the time I reached the main entrance, I noticed one person observing me closely. After entering I was looking for the way to get inside the temple. All temple priests were dressed in white lungis, one of them showed me the direction. Only till this point I was very conscious of everything around me!
I was about to take a step in the direction showed by that temple priest, all of a sudden the person who was observing me appeared in front of me and said, "Special darshan... come with me!". He did not even wait for my response and made way for me shouting at the temple priests and the crowd around. He was dressed in red lungi, not sure whether he is one of those temple priests or someone else! On the way, I saw one board written in tamil with two numbers 50 and 100. I think it was for special darshan. I tried stopping this person to tell him that I don't have that much money on me to give him. I guess all I had was around 30. He took me directly to the gate of sanctum, bypassing all queues. He opened that gate and asked me to get in. I found a big queue inside, people paying respects to the Goddess one after the other, who were allowed to stand in front of the deity only for couple of seconds. The temple priest sitting over there was giving each of them kunkum as a blessing.
The very next moment I found myself in front of the Goddess. I was spell bound. I am short of words to describe. She is standing about 5 feet tall in some parrot green clothing. She is looking amazingly beautiful, more than that the expression on her face is very pleasant and soothing. Her diamond nose drop is shining very bright lightening her face. I had never met such a friendly and beautiful female so far. She made the whole trip worthwhile.
She is THE BEST OF THE BEST
Finally I managed to convince myself to make a visit to the temple! It was not out of devotion... there is something very unique about this Goddess, She is the only unmarried deity I know of. I told myself to visit her as a friend and also to see her famous diamond nose drop.
The next major choice I had to make was, what to wear! Like in many south Indian temples, here also men are not allowed to enter the temple with their shirts on. Though I did not want to visit temples in this trip, I still had my silk attire in the backpack. I love wearing it in different south Indian styles. It makes me feel good and it also looks good. This time I thought I should try the Tamilnadu style. I chose a style which will keep me covered fully and also will not violate the rules of the temple.
Here let me say something about about this attire; This is nothing but two pieces of cloth! The real magic is in the way you drape it on you.
The place I stayed is just outside the temple. I kept aside enough time as it is common that you end up waiting in long queues whenever you visit a temple. I gathered all the change I was carrying and put that in my pocket before I started for temple. I walked barefoot and as usual there was a crowd of tourists all over. From the time I reached the main entrance, I noticed one person observing me closely. After entering I was looking for the way to get inside the temple. All temple priests were dressed in white lungis, one of them showed me the direction. Only till this point I was very conscious of everything around me!
I was about to take a step in the direction showed by that temple priest, all of a sudden the person who was observing me appeared in front of me and said, "Special darshan... come with me!". He did not even wait for my response and made way for me shouting at the temple priests and the crowd around. He was dressed in red lungi, not sure whether he is one of those temple priests or someone else! On the way, I saw one board written in tamil with two numbers 50 and 100. I think it was for special darshan. I tried stopping this person to tell him that I don't have that much money on me to give him. I guess all I had was around 30. He took me directly to the gate of sanctum, bypassing all queues. He opened that gate and asked me to get in. I found a big queue inside, people paying respects to the Goddess one after the other, who were allowed to stand in front of the deity only for couple of seconds. The temple priest sitting over there was giving each of them kunkum as a blessing.
The very next moment I found myself in front of the Goddess. I was spell bound. I am short of words to describe. She is standing about 5 feet tall in some parrot green clothing. She is looking amazingly beautiful, more than that the expression on her face is very pleasant and soothing. Her diamond nose drop is shining very bright lightening her face. I had never met such a friendly and beautiful female so far. She made the whole trip worthwhile.
She is THE BEST OF THE BEST
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Kanya Kumari - Trip Sheet
Day 1
Start Time - 7:15 AM
End Time - 7:00 PM
Total Kms - 375
Route :
Bangalore > Kanakapura > Halaguru > Sattegala > Collegal > Santemarahalli > Chamrajnagar > Binakauahalli > Dimbum > Satyamangalam > Punja Pulivampatti > Annur > Kovilpalaiyam > Coimbatore > Kinattukkadavu > Pollachi
Breaks :
Breakfast - Halaguru
Lunch - Chamrajnagar
Day 2
Start Time - 7:00 AM
End Time - 10:00 PM
Total Kms - 360
Route :
Pollachi > Udumalaippettai > Manupparm > Amaravatinagar > Maraiyur > Munnar > Devikolam > Udumbanchola > Painavi > Kallar > Vadamettu > Thekkadi > Melgudalur > Kumbam > Uttamapalaiyam > Chinnamanur > Virapandi > Teni > Auttippatti > Usilampatti > Sakkanurani > Madurai
Breaks :
Breakfast - Maraiyur
Lunch - Munnar
Day 3
Start Time - 7:00 AM
End Time - 12:00 PM
Total Kms - 240
Route :
Madurai > Tirumangalam > Virudunagar > Sattur > Kovilpatti > Kayattar > Gangaikondan > Tirunelveli > Palayankottai > Munradaippu > Nanguneri > Vadakku Valliyur > Panakkudi > Karungulam > Kanniya Kumari
Breaks :
Breakfast - Virudunagar
Day 4
Start Time - 8:00 AM
End Time - 11:00 PM
Total Kms - 740
Route :
Kanniya Kumari > Karungulam > Panakkudi > Vadakku Valliyur > Nanguneri > Munradaippu > Palayamkottai > Tirunelveli > Gangaikondam > Kayattar > Kovilpatti > Sattur > Virudunagar > Tirumangalam > Madurai > Vadippatti > Dindigul > Vedasandun > Aravakkurichchi > Karur > Velur > Paramati > Namakkal > Kalangani > Mallur > Salem > Suramangalam > Omalur > Toppur
Breaks :
Breakfast - Tirunelveli
Lunch - Vadippatti
Dinner - Suramangalam
Day 5
Start Time - 8:00 AM
End Time - 12:00 PM
Total Kms - 175
Route :
Toppur > Adiyamankottai > Dharmapuri > Karimangalam > Kaverippattanam > Daulatabad > Krishnagiri > Sulagiri > Hosur > Attibele > Bangalore
Breaks :
Breakfast - Dharmapuri
Monday, October 16, 2006
New beginning...
Is it really a new beginning... may be not, 'coz I've been a traveller... may be, 'coz I made up my mind to share my travel experiences...
I've been pondering on the idea of riding all the way from Bangalore to Kanya Kumari. It's a long ride, I've got just 5 days to complete the journey to and fro... I might have to pursue this all alone! Well, it's not easy to find another crazy one to join along.
Got my bike serviced only last week... hoping that it will keep my company through out this trip...
Next important item is map... I went out to get this "India Road Atlas" in the middle of my working day! I'll be stretching couple of extra hours to balance it out.
Today I'm very excited... bike and map are in place... guess I need to put together few more items before I start...
I've been pondering on the idea of riding all the way from Bangalore to Kanya Kumari. It's a long ride, I've got just 5 days to complete the journey to and fro... I might have to pursue this all alone! Well, it's not easy to find another crazy one to join along.
Got my bike serviced only last week... hoping that it will keep my company through out this trip...
Next important item is map... I went out to get this "India Road Atlas" in the middle of my working day! I'll be stretching couple of extra hours to balance it out.
Today I'm very excited... bike and map are in place... guess I need to put together few more items before I start...
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