Honey bee resting!

Caught a flying HoneyBee!
View in Kudremukh

Farm near Kudremukh

On the way to KukkeSubramanya

Bethalbatim beach in Goa



My Bike - PULSAR 180
Rainbow captured at Jog Falls

Sunset Captured at Goa Miramar beach
View captured from Donapaula Jetty
Another view from Donapaula Jetty



















I was planning to go on Goa trip to meet up with my friends since past 3 years. Finally the day came when I decided I will make it this time no matter what happens! Be it with my friends and company or be it alone! Finally I made it 19th October - 25th October 2006

I had plans during Ganesh Chaturthi time, but I could not materialise the plan. Just not that, at the same time my friends in Goa were busy too! I was looking for a long weekend so that I could spend atleast 3 days in Goa. And one fine day I came across my company calendar which had Oct 20th and Oct 25th declared as Holiday! I decided this was the right window for me to make a quick trip to Goa! I had to take 2 days off to get 5 days holiday! By the time I realised this, it was too late for me to get a train ticket to Goa. I enquired few friends and my cousin whether if they were ready to make it to Goa ON BIKE! Well, none of them got a permission from there home to make it ON BIKE. I wasn't ready for a bus trip - 18hrs is too much to waste!
I had enquired few people about the bike trip, all of them said it would take around 12hrs from Bangalore to Goa on bike.

I started my drive to Goa on 19th evening. I had to meet up with my friend Sunil before I could leave. Finally I left by 5pm after fueling my bike with full tank petrol! By dusk I had crossed Tumkur. I had decided to drive conservatively, hence was riding at constant speed of 90-95kmph even though the Tumkur road was inviting me to do more than 100kmph! I reached Tumkur by 5:40pm. I took the by-pass road and avoided the city traffic. So I could cruise constantly at 80kmph in the by-pass road too! By the time I reached near Tiptur, it was getting dark. Finally reached Tiptur by 6:45pm. Gave a break for coffee at Tiptur. Before starting I had to stop in front of cycle shop for borrowing screw driver to fix the focus of head light beam. By the time I started again, it was 7:15pm. Once I left Tiptur, I had entire road empty to cruise at 95kmph constant. I reached Arsikere within next 15-20mins. After Arsikere again the roads were deserted and absolutely pitch dark. I could see the road ahead couple of km absolutely empty and totally dark! Felt great to realise that I was driving all alone! I did come across a Fox which crossed the road before I could use that road! Finally by 9pm I reached Badhravathi where my aunt stays! I wanted to surprise them, but unfortunately they werent surprised as my Granny had already informed them that I was visiting them!

Rested for the night in Badhravathi after dinner( got some royal treament) and woke up by 8:30am 20th morning. To my surprise the sky had opened up and was raining heavily! My aunt adviced me to stay back and not to drive in rain. By 10am the rain completely stopped. I was ready to leave by 11:30am. Started by 11:35am from my aunt's place and just as I left Badhravathi I got caught in some local procession. I had to wait for 15mins, finally gave up and squeezed through the procession to resume my journey! I headed towards Shimoga then towards Jog falls. I reached Jog falls in another 1 and half hours. Jog falls had very little water. Took few snaps and resumed to go towards Honnavar. It was roughly 70km from Jog falls. And complete Ghat section! It was fun driving! I was cruising at speed between 60 - 80kmph in Ghat section except for those hair pin bends where I had to slow down to 25-30kmph. I felt great driving all alone in middle of forest and no vehicle around me! There were few 4 wheelers which could not keep up with me hence logically I was the only person driving in road! It was bright and sunny peak afternoon. I had to avoid running over 3 snakes. First 2 snakes were of close call. I had to brake to near stop for the first one when he crossed the road. The second I just realised at last moment that he was resting in my path and I had to manevour to avoid him. The third one was safe on other lane sleeping to his glory! I reached Honnavar in 1 hour after starting from Jog. I broke my journey for lunch. Parked my bike and had chapathis and had musambi and lime juice. I started from Honnavar by 3:20pm.The road from Honnavar to Karwar was not greatest. Had huge craters in between all of the sudden in a clean stretch! I always look out for some 4 wheelers moving in decent speed so that I can follow him. It is safe to follow 4 wheeler at a decent distance. Usually you tend to get good road space following especially when you consider the bus and lorry people coming from opposite direction do not respect 2 wheeler's space. There was one Toyota corolla. He was cruising at 80 -90kmph and I was more than happy to follow him. But me following him kind of pissed him off and he rev'ed his car to 100 -110kmph. But, my bike followed him easily at same distance even in those speeds. He tried reaching 120 -130kmph in those roads to lose me. I didnt want to lose my shield so I could reach up to 120kmph following him at constant distance. Which really pissed him off. He went flying on a bad strech of road. Which I could avoid. But slight bump on road pulled off the strap of my bag tied on the rear seat. I had to stop for 5mins and strap it again. The car guy was surely more than happy to lose me there!! I followed the car guy for nearly 60kms. I resumed my drive in constant 80 -90kmph from there on. I reached Karwar by 4:25pm. Continued towards Goa. And I crossed the border by 4:45pm. Roads in Goa too were not great. The roads were narrow so cruising speed was down to 60-70kmph. I continued along and finally got lost in Margao city where I lost the highway in peak hour traffic.It took nearly 20-25mins to get out on to highway again! I was caught in peak hour traffic in nearly all the cities I passed through. Finally I reached Panjim at around 6:50pm. But I was lost there too. My friends called up to clarify the route exactly and by the time I met them at their university it was 7:15pm.

Next 3 days was fun filled days even though my friends had little free time, they pulled out time for me!

24th - I woke up early. Started back to Bangalore by 7am. I wanted to avoid the traffic and heat of the sun. Hence decided to start early. It was beautiful day break. Sun just peeping out through the trees.I was cruising between 60 - 75kmph as the roads were relatively empty. I came across one ghat section within Goa. There was one slow moving lorry which I came across. I had to follow it for a while as it was a uphill and blind curve. I was in dilemma whether to overtake that lorry or not in a blind curve. I told myself, I am alone, I am not in hurry, I can wait for a minute and make it up later. My instinct proved 100% right. Immediately I saw a speeding lorry which came in opposite direction in full speed. I am very sure he could not have applied brakes in case I had decided to overtake. That was a lesson learnt. Never ever over take in blind curve no matter how late or early you are. Soon I crossed into Karnataka border, I was in Karwar. It was around 8:45am. I stopped there for a my breakfast. I had my favorite "travel breakfast" - Idli Vada, followed with coffee. I continued with my drive by 9:10am. Since I had done more than 650kms overall, I decided I could push my bike further. So I was maintaining a average speed of 90-100kmph. Within an hour I was in Honnavar. I didnt bother to stop in Honnavar for break. I continued my drive, soon I was in ghat section. I hardly found any vehicular traffic in ghat section. I overtook 3 cars, which were pretty fast moving. One of them was Indica, he was very adamant in giving me way. I had to snatch my way through to over take that guy. Soon I was at the end of ghat section. I was near Jog falls. I stopped by for cup of tea. Had a super hot masala tea. After 10mins of break. I continued my drive towards Bhadravathi. I had informed them that I would be joining them for lunch. I started off again, crossed Sagar, soon I was near the Thavarekoppa sanctury and was cruising at 100kmph. I could see series of vehicles ahead all cruising 90 -100kmph. The strech was straight. There were nearly 8 vehicles,ranging from qualis,sumo, omini van, santro, toyota corolla. indica. Each of these vehicle were trying to overtake vehicle ahead of them.So one can imagine, how they could manage to block both lanes. I managed to overtake 3 vehicles at one strech, I had to touch 100kmph to do that, by then there was vehicle from opposite side, because of which I had to follow remaining 5 vehicles. I followed them for next 3 - 4mins. They were still fooling around trying to overtake each other, this was concern to my safety. Being only biker in between these crazy cars was risk. There was one uphill at which cars ahead slowed down a bit, but still were maintaining 95-100kmph. I decided this was the time for me to overtake. I shifted my bike to 4th gear and reved to full throttle, with in 3 seconds I was doing 100kmph. I changed my lane, went on to overtaking lane, honked at those crazy cars so that nobody comes onto my lane, and shifted to 5th gear and full throttle. The bike was doing 120kmph with in next 7 seconds. I overtook all 5 vehicles in straight strech which were doing 100kmph . I could drive peacefully at constant speed of 100kmph after I overtook all those vehicles. I reached Bhadravathi by afternoon. It was nearly 2pm, when I reached Bhadravathi. Everyone at my aunt's place were surprised to see me so early. I had a royal lunch again. I rested for the day. Spent time with everyone. Next day,25th I started off to Bangalore after having breakfast. I refuelled at a bunk on the highway near Bhadravathi. I was cruising at constant speed of 100-110kmph through out. I touched 120kmph when I had to over take a very fast moving car.I stopped by at Tiptur for a cup of coffee. It took me 4 hours to reach Bangalore from Bhadravathi. I was in Bangalore for lunch. Rested rest of the evening. Was ready to head for next journey on 26th - Journey to ITPL.