Not all the time you should reveal what's in your mind.... not all the time you should consult people.... not all the time you should consider others' opinions....
Sometimes silence pays off...!!
Idea to visit some place... far off... was always there on mind... it just got executed on one fine Sunday morning...!!
Defying the academic calendar set forth by SIBM Bangalore, no holidays for week together... not surely on Sundays.. ;) The journey to Pon D began bang 15 mins. earlier than scheduled time...
for one thing is sure that the marketing class has made me punctual enough...
The journey scheduled to start off at 5 a.m. to cover roughly a distance of 654.3 odd kms. began @ 4.45 a.m. All permissions for night out were taken, tyre tubes got replaced, PUC being made, brakes got repaired, Camera got fully charged... just hours before the trip.
Considering that my bike remains on reserve fuel mode for most of the time.... i had asked my friend a night earlier to get it charged up.... the realization that this is going to be my first trip out alone, played on my mind. My first stop on the NH 7 was a few kms. before Krishnagiri - to take beautiful pics of the rising Sun. To cut it short - The morning landscape was amazing.
At no point of time i thought of Highway robbery/high jacking, road rage, bike accident, bike not getting started, etc... as advised by my friends...for not going on the trip; friends... who were bit over cautious/gave warnings... but not enough to change my mind ;)
By the time i reached Krshnagiri some 90 odd kms. I had gained my rythm... tireness/boredom wasn't there in the air... at anytime during the trip... But soon the beautiful NH 7 ended only to give way to narrow- potholed, dividerless, traffic abandoned NH 66...
Suddenly it seemed as if i am the only person using this road... a village road... wherein, people were having bath alongside the road, sheeps crossing the roads (NH 66) freely, alas chicken shops lined up with long queues early morning.... Ganapati Visarjan celebrations going along...
No more concrete jungles, only greenery all around and the air so pure...
The second stop being the breakfast break at Uthangarai... at around 8a.m. typically cooked roadside dosas with a cup of tea... suppressed the hunger.
Next stop was at Gingee fort built by Chola Dynasty rulers in 13th century. After taking hundreds of beautiful pics of the fort for half an hour. The drive continued further east towards Pon D. Suddenly i felt as if i may run out of time to reach Pon D... enjoy there and come back to hostel before 11 p.m. deadline...;)
The journey now had to be non-stop, slowing down only to confirm that i am on right track, dont hit people and vehicles. I was flagged by many, but eventually gave a lift to a worker. Not that i am suspicious of people flicking things out from the saddle bags, but just dont wanna apply brakes @ 70 to give lift :(
Though my Caliber was nonetheless after modifying it, however, at times wished it could have been an Avenger or a Bullet, so that, i could amuse a few people, turn their heads. By 10 a.m. i could feel the heat - temperatures soaring up. Time for some thanda - also let the engine too get cooled off. Enjoying the journey, the bike ride was more important than reaching the destination.
By 11.11p.m. i entered Puducherry. 1 k.m. down the road and the roads were full with traffic, vehicles all around - beeping out. With traffic signals all around and same polluted air it felt i was back in the streets of Bengaluru. At the 1st traffic signal - a question aroused in the mind - where i need to go ahead...Let's go to the main market !!
One can definitely recognize the difference in architecture of the city/UT influenced by the French. Took few superb pics of beautiful structures on the Goubert road and then headed to a beach on the East Coast road. With little time in hand, i rushed to Auroville to visit Matrimandir. One can find umpteen number of good cafes and pizzeria restaurants on the roadside.
By 12.45 i reached Auroville, rushed up to get the pass, visit the Matrimandir and move around the handicraft center. It took an hour to get back onto the bike again. Took a U-turn and went on the Cuddalore highway road to reach Chunnabar Boat house. Had a great ferry ride followed by delicious lunch at the Chunnabar.
The journey to come back started at 4 p.m. Considering it the journey to be 320 kms. i thought i could possibly reach the campus on time, but it was later only to realize that the weather is not with me and it started raining heavily post Tiruvannamalai. But, as if the heavy winds and rains were gonna stop me, i reduced the bike speed from 70 to 45 only to march ahead.
Within an hour the rains stopped, so did the heavy winds leaving me with wet clothes, to feel cold. By 9.15 i was back there in Krishnagiri and stopped to take my meal. It was 11.11 p.m. i reached the campus, with the same enthusiasm, that i had started with.
I m going to tell ur family members about this insane ride.
ReplyDeletehmm.. good post
ReplyDeleteNice writeup! And nice trip too! Congrats!
ReplyDelete