The Southern Sally: 5 - "The Ride to Rameshwaram..."

Rameshwaram was a place I always wanted to visit...

Especially after watching Chennai Express :p

I had heard raving reviews from my cousin who visited Dhanushkodi (Land's End or Ghost Town) and  wanted to off road on my Bull in the marsh/beach/bog/shoal terrain of Rameshwaram-Dhanushkodi stretch. Therefore Rameshwaram got included in the Southern Sally.  

After sumptuous breakfast; courtesy- Club Mahindra Puducherry, I continued via the ECR and took the Neyveli-Kumbakonam-Pattukottai-Mannarguddi-Ramnathpuram route to reach Rameshwaram.

Google maps told me I'd take about 8 hours. I told myself to take around 9.5 hours, take pleanty of short pit-stops for rest, grub, snaps and simply absorb the countryside..

After the Neyveli by-pass, bang smack in-the-middle-of-nowhere is a small refreshments place - Only Coffee! Contrary to the name they also serve tea, biscuits, chocolate and snacks. They also sell handicrafts and cottage-industry driven products like handmade soap, honey, spices, coffee filters and cups. 

Ideal break point in the journey, this provided ample rest, heavenly coffee and curious glaces at my Bull and riding gear. I loved the Copper tumblers in which "degree coffee" was served... the aroma is still fresh in my mind...

The countryside was spectacular with a myriad of colors and aromas of the earth. a plethora of images - bridges, streams, paddy fields, fruit orchards, glimpses of coastline and smiles from locals were dotted along the journey.

The Pambam bridge announced my arrival at the "Gulf of Mannar Biosphere" area into Rameshwaram.

My bull... on the spectacular Pambam Bridge

Pambam Road bridge which recently got a facelift and restoration work.

 Pambam Road bridge heralded my arrival into Mannar area. Its an overwhelming feeling... 320 degrees of water around me... It takes some time getting used to so much water. One can almost feel the rise and ebb of the water... No words I can use here completely describe the awe-inspiring ride on the Pambam.

A Panorama of Pambam Road bridge. 320 degrees of water... unnerving!!

I reached Rameshwaram by late evening and checked into my hotel. A generous portion of Blue Label (from Pondy) on ice did more than good to my aching bones after 400 km on the Bull. I needed the night's rest to gear up for the epic off-road challenge next morning...

Tomorrow... Land's end!

The Southern Sally: 4 - "Birthday in Pondy..."

Puducherry is a city, an urban agglomeration and a municipality in Pondicherry district in the Indian union territory of Puducherry. It is affectionately known as Pondy, and has been officially known by the alternative name Puducherry since 2006 (Source: Wikipedia).

Mural on wall - Alliance Francaise - 125 Years

Puducherry; or Pondicherry; or simply Pondy is a place where time passes slowly... and its a good thing :)

Everyone seems courteous; No one is in a hurry. The skies are clearer when there aren't any clouds; The clouds are always silver-lined; even the grey-est of them! The air is salty; yet the place, sweet... The roads in the French part of town are neatly organized like a criss-cross pattern... One can see lot of bicycle traffic and this part of the town is usually cleaner and greener...

Pondy is truly reminiscent of its French presence with a plethora of French buildings and streets with French names. The city has many beautiful colonial buildings, churches, temples, and statues which, combined with the systematic town planning and the well planned French style avenues, still preserve much of the colonial ambiance. Pondicherry is also a popular weekend destination. It is a blend of spiritual aura, French colonial heritage, Tamil culture, virgin beaches and the cosmopolitan flair of many nationalities in a small but varied city.

Alliance Francaise, Puducherry

Promenade Beach - Goubert Street

The most charming place to catch the pulse of Pondy is the Promenade beach/strip. The tourist information center at the Promenade Street is abuzz with activities/events for tourists. From art to culture, drama to linguistics, Pondy has something for everyone!

La Cafe on the Promenade

The ornate French buildings stand out in the neatly labeled by-lanes of the French-part of town. This part of the town also hosts cafes and bakeries with indulging views of the sea. A tip - Don't go there with any expectations. The Promenade cafes are meant for the lazy and the laid back. Don't expect hurried service!

The City of Pondicherry have recorded history after the advent of the Colonial Powers like the Dutch, Portuguese, English and the French. Though nearby places like Arikamedu, Ariyankuppam, Kakayanthoppe, Villianur, Bahur which were annexed by the French East India Company over a period of time and which became the Union Territory of Pondicherry after Independence have history predating the Colonial History.

Goubert Avenue - Mahatma Gandhi Statue

A marketplace named Poduke or Poduca is recorded as a Roman trading destination from the mid 1st century. The area was part of the Pallava Kingdom of Kanchipuram in the 4th century. The Cholas of Thanjavur held it from the 10th to 13th centuries, only to be replaced by the Pandya Kingdom in the 13th century. The Vijayanagar Empire took control of almost all the South of India in the 14th century and lasted until 1638, to be supplanted by the Sultan of Bijapur. The French acquired Puducherry in 1674 and held control, with occasional interruption from the British and Dutch, until 1954 (de jure in 1956), when it was incorporated into the Indian Union along with the rest of French India (Source: Wikipedia).

A view from Promenade Beach

Cafe X'Staci -  Pizzas!

Pondy has a vast coastline, only a few kilometers of which hosts sand beaches. Most of the coastline is rocky shelf with drastic dips into the sea which makes it unsafe for tourists due to rip tides. Other popular beaches are the Auroville beach and Paradise beach. (Source: wikiTravel)

A must-visit pizzeria is Cafe Xstaci on Mission Street- famous for its wood-fire oven pizzas. Cafe X'staci is run by a local businessmen Manav and Supra in 2010 with just 15 Pizzas on the menu. Today they've expanded it to over 75 Pizzas! With their traditional wood fired oven, Cafe X'staci is popular with locals and tourists alike. 

Spending my birthday in Pondy with the Sunrise, Sand and the Sea was indeed invigorating...

I shopped in the by-lanes of the Promenade and ate to heart's content of X'Staci pizza with travelers sharing their travel stories... 

Tomorrow... I travel to Rameshwaram...

The Southern Sally: 3 - "MAS to Pondy"

MAS to Pondicherry...

Chennai - Pondy via the scenic ECR has always been a joy...

Heading out from MAS, I tanked up my beast before hitting the highway. Equipping the standard biking gear I picked up - (Thanks to Varun Naidu of 'Dynamic Riderz' for the advice on short notice) knee and shin protectors and Saddle bags, both from Cramster - seemed to grow on me. After a good 50 km, the feeling that a knee brace is strapped on seemed to wear away.

My first pit stop was an eatery in the bang-smack-middle of nowhere. The place seemed crowded for an early morning on a Sunday. The reason I stopped there, besides the heavenly aroma of filter coffee - I spotted half a dozen superbikes (Hondas, Suzukis and even a Harley, all neatly parked in a row.

I met the motley crew from Chennai. All in mid 50's - businessmen, Engineers and a even one doctor (the owner of the Harley) who rode out every Sunday! They sounded veteran bikers and I was like an enthusiastic kid listening to their rides! Downing some really tasty, really soft Idlis with yumm chutney and sambar, I discussed my 1400 km trip I had embarked on. They were full of tips, advice and encouragement which was welcome.

I bid adieu to the super bike crew and headed to Pondy, my enthusiasm further intensified by the veterans.

Pondy, to me, is like a special getaway. I have so many memories from there, that I could write a book. The scenic highway with some stunning vistas of the shoreline brought back memories from college. Shark-fishing with a club in a small kayak type boat with locals in 2003, meditating in the Matri Mandir and wondering if I could use that space for more divine purposes in 2005, dolphin watching at the boat house in 2006, Tsunami relief trip when Pondy was a layover on the return in Dec 2004... The memories flooding my mind and two and a half hours breezed by...

I arrived at Pondy and checked into my resort by noon. I wanted to freshen up and get back to the bustle of the bazaars of the once-upon-a-time French colony...

The Southern Sally: 2 - "HYB to MAS"

HYB to MAS...

I did not want to ride out of Hyderabad. I wanted to imbibe the scenic views along the ECR - the East Coast Road. And so, I planned my trip from Chennai.

I got a lot of useful insights regarding bike transport on a train from IndiaMike. I arrived at Nampally Hyderabad Deccan station two hours prior to my journey. I met the staff at the Parcel office and he ushered me to the private packers/porters in the railway yard. He gave me a form and asked me to come back with a packed bike whose petrol tank was 'dry'.

The porters were very helpful and with expert efficiency, drained the petrol tank with a small rubber tube and then 'dried' the tank with pieces of cloth. It took less than 10 minutes to get the petrol tank dry. I had made sure that the previous day, I rode till my 'low fuel' indicator was blinking. Another arbitrary indicator - shake your bike from side to side and you can hear the sound of petrol crashing against the walls of the petrol tank; based on the sounds you can estimate how much fuel remains in the tank (A concept patented by Indians :p ).

The bike, packed with cardboard sheets and covered with gunny sacks; was wheeled into the parcel office, when the porter suggested I negotiate with the private operator who leased out a break van. Private companies operate a few luggage vans on a few trains. The advantage of opting a private operator is that the Luggage Van is opened only at the last stop, rather than intermediate stops. Railway operated vans are not only more expensive, but also pose the risk of the potential damage to the bike as the van can be opened mid route to add/remove luggage. People have reported dents, broken mud guards, broken indicator lights and sometimes even theft/missing bike due to unloading the bike at the wrong station.

A few insights I got- negotiate hard with the private break van operators. They can get you a good deal. In this case, I paid rupees 1300 to transport the bike from Hyderabad to Chennai (versus 1850 which was the official railways luggage charges).

If you're booking with the railways, you need the following documents (photocopy) -
1. Vehicle Registration (RC book)
2. Photo ID proof (any, Govt issued)
3. Confirmed train ticket copy. (Physical copy of ticket, not a screen shot or sms)

Packed, loaded and locked. My bike was safe in the private break van and I boarded my train. At 6 am, I arrived at the Chennai Central station. I waited at the break van for a few minutes before the unloading team arrived. It took me about an hour before I could obtain a gate pass and wheel out my bike.

It's an offence to carry petrol or any combustible fuel in your luggage on the train. In case the checking staff find any petrol (even 100 ml) they can book you for a hefty fine of rupees 1000!

And you can unpack the vehicle ONLY after you've exited the station. You cannot 'mount' your bike even if the engine is not running, but ONLY can wheel it out.

At 7.30 am, I was outside the MAS (Chennai Central station). I unpacked my bike, fixed my mirrors which I'd removed to prevent damage and got my gear loaded and locked to the bike.

Pondy... here I come!

The Southern Sally: 1 - "How it began..."

How it began...

For reasons known and unknown, my biking trips were reduced to far and few in between.

And for reasons known, I was planning on selling the beast. My birthday was around the corner and the the idea of a trip up north in the hills of Mc Leodganj began creeping up, as was suggested by my doting wife.

I called my brother in Delhi about the trip and he said his annual quota for taking off from work was completed and so, he could not afford any more breaks.

North plans went to the bin. I just wanted to Sally southwards.
Quickly looked up the map for check points and lay overs and something like this began taking shape.

Chennai - Pondy - Rameshwaram - Kanyakumari - Poovar - Trivandrum. 

Hyderabad to Chennai via Chennai Exp along with my beast in the Luggage Van; and return from Trivandrum via the Sabari Exp. 

A flurry of activity ensued-The tickets, the hotel reservations, bike booking information and planning the right biking gear to buy...

The Itinerary - 

Bijapur with the Gumbaz...

The route to Bijapur via the Pandharpur road was bad. The road is simply broken down completely in places and there its about 30 km of gavel-covered dirt road after crossing Pandharpur. The 200 km trip took about 5 hours with ample breaks in between.

I reached Bijapur at 9.30 pm and was waiting for my friend who was to join me from Belgaum. I rendezvoused with my friend at the bus stand in MG road and we headed to a friends house where authentic north Karnataka festival dinner was awaiting us. We dined and exchanged tales, caught up after the years and planned the day ahead.

There are over 65 places to visit in Bijapur. Of them, the most popular is obviously the Gol Gumbaz. Our plan was to visit the Gumbaz, have a quick lunch and push off to Hyderabad

Gol Gumbaz or Gol Gumbad meaning rose dome, (a reference to the flower/rose/lotus petals that surround the dome at its base, making it appear as a budding rose)-- is the mausoleum of Mohammed Ali Shah, Sultan of Bijapur. The tomb, was completed in 1656 by the architect Yaqut of Dabul. The structure is composed of a cube, 47.5 metres (156 ft) on each side, capped by a dome 44 m (144 ft) in external diameter.  Eight intersecting arches created by two rotated squares that create interlocking pendentives support the dome. At each of the four corners of the cube, is a dome-capped octagonal tower seven stories high with a staircase inside.The upper floor of each opens on to a round gallery which surrounds the dome. Inside the mausoleum hall, is a square podium with steps on each side. In the middle of the podium, a cenotaph slab on the ground marks the actual grave below, the only instance of this practice in the architecture of the Adil Shahi Dynasty. In the middle of the west side, a large half-octagonal bay protrudes out. With an area of 1,700 m2 (18,000 sq ft),the mausoleum has one of the biggest single chamber spaces in the world. Running around the inside of the dome is the "Whispering Gallery" where even the softest sound can be heard on the other side of the mausoleum due to the acoustics of the space. It is said that the Sultan, Ibraheem Adil Shah and his Queen used to converse in the same manner. During his time, the musicians used to sing, seated in the whispering gallery so that the sound produced could reach every corner of the hall.

After immersing ourselves into the rich history of the Gol Gumbaz and the adjacent museum showcasing the Adilshahi curios, we headed to an authentic north Karnataka Restaurant for lunch.

The route to hyderabad was via Gulbarga-Humnabad-Zaheerabad-Sangareddy. A total distance of 400 km. We started at 2.30 pm post lunch and reached hyderabad by 11:30 pm with ample breaks for chai and dinner. This leg of my journey was less taxing; besides I had a fellow rider for company and we split the ride time.

Total trip analysis: Hyd-Pune-Bijapur-Hyd
Total km covered: 1390
Best fuel economy: 38 kmpl
Worst fuel economy: 27 kmpl
Bike handling: steady and easy to ride on highways
Top speed: 125 kmph
Average Speed: 60 kmph
Suspension: needs improvement. Tends to be hard even when adjusted the load setting.
Seating: saddle shaped split seat is great for the rider. Beyond 300-350 km, seating becomes uncomfortable. pillion seat: small size. Does not offer adequate padding; can get a tad uncomfortable beyond 350 km.
Engine: continuous riding for over 100 km heats up the engine. Beyond 40000 rpm, noticeable vibrations occur (service team warned me about this. This should come down after the second service).
Lights: the fancy projection lamp its very useful and on the highway. The blinkers (hazard indicators) were very useful on the highway to signal my presence to speeding four Wheelers.

Change of plans...

On the return trip from Pune (detour), plans changed. A classmate from college called me and invited me to Bijapur.
Will check out the Gol Gumbaz and head to hyd tomorrow. I will have company as my friend will be joining me to hyderabad. And two toffee are better than one, any day!
Gol Gumbaz, here I come...