In search for shacks

Prologue

It was 11 PM 1st October...

Hemant: Hey guys! We should be leaving at 4. Shaimoon meet us outside Shantiniketan. Saad will be with me
Shaimoon: From Shantiniketan we will go to Hoodi to pick Tanzeel, Naser and Sajid and then proceed to Tin factory to pick Vishwanath and Vipin

3.30 AM 2nd October

Vipin: F*#@ yaar! I didn't sleep
Shaimoon: You won't ride so don't worry. Even I didn't sleep, had work. I have started to pack now, will be half an hour late....

1st day:

And hence it started. We all converged at KR Puram railway station at 5.45 AM. Sun had started to shower it's sunlight and we had started to give each other our company for the next 5 days which could be the unique 5 days that will be remembered for a very long time.

Leaving the city didn't took much time, we crossed Nice road and we were on the highway. Testing the speed of our bikes and the smoothness of the road we went from places to places crossing many cities and rivers in between. Stopping only when Vipin was about to fall due to the insomnia he had last night. We stopped for breakfast at the foothills probably of western ghats. Puri Saagu was the only meal present and we had it to our hearts (+ stomach) content. We were about to enter the western ghats and we were sure that we won't be getting anything else for at least a couple of hours, a glass full of Mosambi juice gave us hope and we started to meander into the ghat. Waterfalls, river flowing by the valley, the ups and downs were the enjoyable experience.

Riding behind the driver gave me a chance to look around and not to my surprise I saw many Masjids on the way to Mangalore and with striking combination of color green and white they all seem to be similar. By time we reached Mangalore it was already sunset and there was no hope left to go to the beach. We took rooms, gave ourselves time to relax and enjoy the moment. After the dinner we went around the city, couldn't find the beach, came back and crowded the CCD near our hotel till 1.30 AM.

Could only find the local version of Coca Cola

2nd day:

It was Friday and we planned to reach Gokarna by evening. On the way highway after Surathkal we saw a paused for some time for the Friday prayer. Don't the exact name but the locals there were very hospitable. We weren't foreigners but we were given look of some outsiders because of our dresses and luggages. A local family invited us for cold drinks and lunch which was awesome. We took off from there and proceeded to our destination as planned.

It was almost 1 and a half day and we hadn't yet seen the sea. Around 3 PM we were in for a surprise. It was Maravanthe a place were you can see sea and river together with only a road separating these two, a pleasing sight to say the least. Rain and road on the hills pushed us behind schedule. We could manage to reach Bhatkal at around 6 PM and Murdeshwar at around 8 PM. We were hungry as wolves and devoured all that were there in a small fast food restaurant in a local area in Murdeshwar. In doing so we totally forgot the plan and the timing that we needed to stick to. At Gokarna at around 12 at night we were left homeless on the beach. All the hotels had full occupancy and we were nowhere to go after day full of travelling we needed rest. Eyelids were dropping but we couldn't find a shack. We searched the localities in Gokarna, they too didn't entertian us. It was a tragedy although we were told of shacks, dolphins and beautiful Om beach by Vipin and all we could find a sleepy town and hear noisy waves while standing on top of the hills. Reluctantly we reached a dhaaba on the highway, undecided what to do next. There we ate bread omlette and decided we will rest in Ankola and come back next morning to Gokarna. And you know what Ankola too didn't had anything for us. It is said that a plan which is unplanned is the best plan, Gokarna and Ankola had a plan that we didn't think about at first place. A ride to Goa! And we took off.

Masjid were we offered our Friday prayer

Kids outside the Majid

Finally the western shore

Locals who invited us

Maravanthe beach

3rd day

All of us were tired except Shaimoon because he belongs to the same species as Batman. He rode continuously for 2 days, eating and sleeping as less as possible but no hint of tiredness were to be seen on his face. Saad had the pleasure to change his position from pillion to rider. Naser sitting behind him had a tough time as Saad took turns at 80 kph. On the way we crossed a scenic town Karawar in north Karnataka, the last town before Goa. Within no time we were in Goa and with no extra energy to go further we decided we will stop at the first beach we see on the map and it was Palolem beach which was a decent one but the problem was to get a resting place. After few searches and waits we got a not so decent place where we had to accommodate 4 in one room. One thing worth mentioning here would be that we saw a school of dolphins in the sea which was a unique experience.

Crossing Karawar - hills cut to make the road

Hemant at Palolem beach

4th day

We said goodbye to Goa and met with other group of bikers from Pune and Belgaum. We traced back the same road we came crossing Karawar once again but this time in daylight which made it look all the more beautiful. We visited a warship museum that was placed near the sea. After much traveling we stopped for a stomach full lunch at Honnavar. From there to Jog falls was ride of almost couple of hours. The road was a bikers paradise with no potholes or undulations whatsoever. The pathway that lead to Jog falls had a mesmerizing views. It was that time of the year when there were not much water in the fall. But it was the thing of beauty that would make anyone appreciate Almighty's creations.

We had already learnt form our experience in Gokarna and this time we didn't want to be homeless so a 3 bedroom was already booked at Shimoga. A drizzle on the way made the travel more beautiful.

From left to right - Shaimoon, Hemant, Me, Sajid, Vipin, Naser and Vipin. Saad was the photgrapher

Saad and others

Jog Falls

5th day

It was Eid day. Any place away from home is any other place. So for me it didn't matter if I was in Bangalore or in Shimoga but the adventure of celebrating Eid in a total strange place was coming true. I woke up early morning and went out to see where are the people moving to know where is the Eidgah. Came back with some news, got ready and went towards the Eidgah with others. Mysorepak along with with local biryani and customary calls to families and friends made my Eid that day. It was midday and it was time to go back. A ride of 300 kms was still be to completed. We met with heavy rain, water logging and traffic jam due to the fallen trees on the highway. The meal of the day was still to be taken and it was at Tumkur were we took a last big break. A dhaba with hot maggie and tea inside and slight drizzle outside made our last day of the adventure a moment to remember. Hemant's papa poka pant (don't know what it means) was the reason for our laughter. We took speed once we touched the highway and in no time we were in the city. It was around 12 in the night when we were at our places, Bangalore was shivering as it had experienced rain in the past couple of days.

On the way to Eidgah

Mutton biryani and chicken kebabs

Hemant with papa poko pants

For me the journey was full of visiting new places of worship, went to many Majsids, offered Namaz on the highway and near the flowing river, celebrated Eid in total strange land. Never had I covered 1350+ km by road in 5 days, our bike touched 110 kph, met with 3 seasons within 2 hours, etc. etc.

Our route followed the path as like this:
Bangalore - Hassan - Sakleshpur - Mangalore - Surathkal - Udupi - Maravanthe Beach - Bhatkal - Murudeshwar - Honnavar - Gokarna - Ankola - Karwar - Canacona - Palolem Beach - Gersoppa - Jog Falls - Sagar - Shimoga - Bhadravati - Tiptur - Tumkur - Bangalore.

Some of the posts that were put up by us:

“Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.”

Something that will make me proud till the day I live!..
Everyday came with new set of unexpected challenges...
and we just Rode and rode and rode.. 
From Mountains to jungles to coasts....
Felt like the Hobbits for a moment....
‪#‎LivedMyDream‬

Some beautiful paths can't be discovered without getting lost.