We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us
Prologue
1st September 2017
My phone has been silent since today morning. No calls, messages or notifications received. That’s quite unusual.
Seems to me the Silence before the Storm
1800 hrs.
Phone sprangs to life: (tring tring), (tring tring)
Notification: 1 Message received
Message: Hi Mr. Prateek. You will be required to join onboard ship MT Kourion, around the second week of the next month(0ctober 2017). Please prepare yourself accordingly. Wish you a Happy Sailing.
It’s almost been 5 months since I have returned from sailing and the wind is quite heading to take me back. Sea has always impressed me by her charms and realms; for it is always escalating to go back to her. But this time something is missing. A road trip to Udaipur, Rajasthan has been on cards for quite some time. Going back to sea without dusting this would leave a sense of incompletion for the next sea voyage of mine. A very short planning time is left for indeed a long trip like this, 2900 kms to be precise. And my travel buddy Tushar could not prepare himself at such a short notice. Adamantly, I pledged to make it solo….!!!
Rajasthan, an ethnic and regal state of India, famed primarily for its rich culture and imposing forts and palaces. Rajasthan has a heritage and legacy to offer to all who divulge in its colourful turbans and ever trending chunris.
Quick bytes from the ride:
Bike: RE Classic Desert Storme 500
Rider: Me (Solo)
Dates: To start on 29 September 2017. Duration: 6 ± 1 days
Route Taken: Gorakhpur > Lucknow > Agra (Lucknow-Agra Expressway) > Jaipur > Ajmer Sharif > Udaipur
Distance covered: A little over 2800 Kms. (Up and Down)
29th Sept, 2017 (Day 0)
Clouds are running high, bag-pack is yet undecided, and it’s really hard to digest that few hours from now, I would be on my way to traverse around 2700 Kms. with no one guarding my back.
My Thumping Queen (RE Dessert Storme 500) is all set and has already been serviced and polished to her toeline. She sounds way too perfect for this trip. It’s even important of her to stay healthy and shining for she is going to be the only companion to me for next ten days. Her energy is going to make me move.
It’s already late night and just now I got my backpacks lashed onboard my ride. All lights and sound checked and I am all set to start by tomorrow early morning.
From last two road trips I have personally experienced that its always better to start on long rides as early as possible at break of dawn. Not only the temperature is usually comfy but the roads are deserted too, which would help to traverse much of the distance before the mighty sun downs a rider with its sultry heat of West India.
30th September 2017 (Day 1)
Planned to wake up early by 2 AM but, late night packing and preparation of gears took way long than expected. In any case it was really hard to fall asleep as the slightest thought of me hitting the roads sent wave of rush all through spine. Got ready by 5 AM and was all set to depart on this never undertaken trip.
Negligible traffic during early hours of the day helped to brush past the city roads and hit the highway in no time. The fresh breeze of the cold air and the deserted highway happened to be welcoming. The glimpse of the first ray of the sun were yet nowhere to be find, which was a good sign that I would be at my first halt, Lucknow, by late afternoon.
A 2 hours of nonstop further ride and I felt a need to make a pit stop to relieve my back and for breakfast. To my surprise, one would not find much good stopovers on NH 28 except the local dhabas and shacks offering a humble menu of tea and snacks. At 07:00am, halted randomly at one to feast onto a steaming cup of tea. The best part of these local dhabas is the courtesy and welcome they have in store. The all loaded motorbike and I, laced up with all riding gears, happened to be the center of attraction for the local kids.
The ride through NH 28, connecting Gorakhpur and Lucknow, went like a breeze. The four lane highway is a comfort to ride upon. With an exception of few stretch of approach roads to the flyovers which are made of concrete onto which the front wheel of bike tends to swiver off a bit while cruising. One needs to be a bit careful while riding on these stretches.
By 08:30am crossed Barabanki. The traffic from here onwards started to increase a bit and the weather getting hotter. Finally I was in Lucknow by 09:15am. The plan over here is to make an overnight stay at my relatives place before heading further to Agra.
Spent the day well in Lucknow while visiting friends and family, watching movies and, laughing and smiling off at the dinner table. The quality time we spent, though small, refreshed every one of us. Planned to hit the bed by 09:00pm but got late in all the gossips and chitchats. Finally, went to bed by 02:00am only to wake up next day early morning 05:00am.
1st October 2017 (Day 2)
Woke up at 5am and was ready to hit the road by 6am. A warm farewell by the loved ones in an early morning chill overflowed the emotional stance of me. Leaving them did feel a bit odd. Wish could have a bit more time to stay.
The early morning ride in Lucknow and a few kilometers further up onto Shaheed path and VIP road took me to Lucknow Agra expressway, India's longest Expressway. I had already topped up my tanks in addition to a few liters of gas into jerry cans as there won’t be any filling stations or service points for next 350 kms on the expressway.
At around 06:30am, the sun threw the first few streaks of light into the sky. The orange hue onto the blue sky appeared to be a golden archway welcoming me like a dignitary onto this beautiful and vast expressway.
The lush green paddy fields and the minimalistic human settlements made me feel like the sole living habitat left around after an apocalypse. The arrow like shooting mega expressway lined up with green landscapes on both sides and the tranquil surroundings of the countryside is definitely a view to feast one’s eyes upon. All these itched me to halt over by side and take some shots.
The expressway is more or less same all along the 350 km stretch. Riding onto it feels like the time has come to a standstill with me moving onto the same path over and over again.
The well laid tarmac with no bumps and negligible traffic invited a comfortable cruise of 100 – 110 kph, thus reducing the travel time to Agra to a meagre 2.5-3 hrs. Though, with negligible traffic and service points, one has to be prepared for the worst in case of any breakdown when riding solo. Correctly said, when used in it’s full capacity this expressway will surely prove to be a boost in the economics of the state.
With a few halts for trying my photography skills and a blissful riding I was welcomed by the Taj Nagri at around 1030 hrs. Lucky for me to make it on time as the weather had just started getting hotter.
The approach road diverting from the expressway into the Agra city was still under construction with stretches of it being lined up with sand and gravels. A snarl of incoming and outgoing traffic merging into a single lane at some points was enough to evaporate all the bliss I had earned on the expressway. Finally, at around 12:30pm reached Agra. Finding the Moustache Hostel was a piece of cake as it is situated right near the Taj Mahal – heart of the city. Finished all the formalities for check-in, unloaded bags and thanked my bike for being a wonderful travel companion through all the times.
The Moustache Hostel – The property is well maintained and the staff is welcoming. There is an ample parking space. The only thing that disappointed me is the food they have on offer. Although they have a lengthy menu with a hefty price, I could only find tea and biryani that they had in stock during wee hours of the day. Nonetheless, took rest for a while and a light meal before heading out for a stroll in the gardens of the Taj Mahal.
The weekend rush could be easily seen by the overcrowded roads and a long queue to get entry pass for the famed monument. Good for me, I had booked the entry pass, online, the last day itself. Due to heavy rush, the entry into the monument was completely chaotic. It took almost 1 to 1.5 hours navigating in multiple lines to make it upto the screening area. The 2 hours spent in the bubble spree took all the energy and excitement of seeing the TajMahal. But, it’s not something that is just named as a World’s Wonder. The very first sight of the monument standing proudly against the backdrop of a beautiful garden is worth all the hustle and bustle I had just went through.
Nothing can be said about this beautiful structure that has not been said already. It’s symmetrically magnificient minarets standing as timeless saga of love. Looking at the crowd it was evident that it would take another couple of hours to get on the top structure. But the beauty of the monument is worth every bit of wait and worries. The closer I was getting to the mausoleum, the more I’m jaw dropping at the intense delicacy with which this vast structure is designed. The elegant carvings of the holy Quran lined all along the doorway arches are just a few to point upon.
Stayed here for almost 4 hours admiring the great building from all angles. Took a few shots trying to capture the eternal beauty in some digital imprints of mine, before heading back to the hotel.
TajMahal is a true gift of India’s rich cultural heritage and is more than just being unique. If you want to witness the beauty at it’s pristine best, then head over to TajMahal. Now!
The hustle bustle of the weekend, all places lit up with lights and array of tourists pumped life onto the heritage walk down the lanes outside of TajMahal. Roamed around the street for a while before having a sumptuous dinner and a mouthful of Panchi Petha. Agreed upon myself to sleep early today unlike the last two nights. 10pm and I had already hit the bed.
2nd October 2017 (Day 3)
Left Agra early morning around 05:00am once again to beat the city traffic before hitting the highway. The approach road from Agra to Agra-Jaipur Highway was in a really bad shape. The worst I encountered in my whole of the journey. They were bumpy giving some awful knocks to the shock absorbers worrying me about my queensly ride. At one point I was on a steep gravel covered road with a bus coming towards me taking the full lane. I had to brake quickly while pulling out of the way. My front wheel lost traction but luckily, I was able to save myself from falling around. The localities were courteous to help me balance the bike and the only thing hurt was my pride. To much of my relief they pointed that it was only a small stretch of this badass road left more ahead before I would be able to hit the highway. On this 5 km of stretch I averaged about 10kmph, and it was really draining, uncomfortable ride.
Once out of the city limits, the faint glimpse of Mughal city of FatehpurSikri drew up on the skyline. Caught a few shots of this city with its immense wall of over 70 feet high. Lined with massive circular bastions at regular intervals, the Mughals had depicted their amazing talent for designing formidable complexes with beautiful mathematical precision. This city ,built by, Emperor Akbar served as the capital of his kingdom for a mere 10 years, before being abandoned for lack of water supply.
Continued after taking a few shots to make way for the pink city Jaipur, the capital of the semi desert state of Rajasthan. 2 hours of ride further ahead and I was feeling damn hungry and started to get slight headache. The Agra-Jaipur Highway is dotted with ample choices, to feast upon one’s belly. Starting from the local dhabas offering typical Rajasthani cuisine to the food chains viz. McDonalds and Pizzahut, this highway offers a mouth-watering ride. At around 10am, stopped at a local restaurant and ordered a Rajasthani lunch. This was by far one of the best highway relishes I had in recent times. A simple meal followed by ghee soaked bati-churma and chilled chaas.
The place was full of devotees to/from Mehndipur Balaji who were stopping-by for a quick lunch. This attracted unnecessary attention towards my ride; people were astonished to see a bike and rider all loaded with bags and gears. Quickly finished lunch and decided to pay a visit to Mehndipur Balaji Temple which was some 20 kms away.
Mehndipur happens to be a small town and visiting this place was surely a new experience to me. The bumper crowd could be easily understood by fact that around 3km long human chain crisscrossed outside the temple complex awaiting their entry. Inspite of this huge footfall the temple happens to be poorly managed by the local authorities. With no basic infrastructure, it seemed, how in the name of faith, vast resources are poorly spent off without proper planning.
The famed temple at Mehndipur is resided by the monkey-faced Lord Hanuman. It is strongly believed that this incarnation of Lord Hanuman as Balaji wards of evil forces. The temple complex has a large hallway lined up with men and women believed to be haunted by evil spirits. Some of the women being covered in all red vermilion from head to toe and shivering and shouting, in god-knows what language. Men, claimed to be overtaken by evil forces, chained to the strong points of the hallway and priests hitting them with the rice grains, previously offered to the lord. The sheer view of the happenings all around was scary and is surely not for weak-hearted.
It took me next 3-4 hours inside the main building, to process the happenings around me. Once out, I was shit scared and the only thing I wanted was to rush past this town. I revved my bike and flew from this place faster than you could say “Supranterrificsexperiencecallous”.
A few hours of ride further ahead and the landscape and weather had drastically changed. The sun was shining in it’s full glory. The lush green paddy fields on the sidekerbs had already given way to the golden touch of the sand and the barren lands. As far as the sight goes, the mirage of burning heat seemed to evaporate the coal tar off the well laden tarmac. Spotting the camel drawn carts was now more frequent. The sultry heat, colourful and bright turbans, pitch red chunris and, the ever falling veil hiding the women’s face welcomed me to Radiant Rajasthan.
The roads overall were very good and I reached the outskirts of the Pink city, Jaipur by 2pm. Arriving midday into crazy traffic and to top it up, the drenching heat, had already exhausted me. Heavy rush on the city roads was maddening and it took me next 2-3 hours mazing my ride through the bumper crowd to reach at my friends place.
Jaipur, a colourful place to loose oneself into, but the traffic might drive you crazy. An overnight stay in the city and reliving the good old days with college friends refreshed every bit of mine. Planned to visit the different tourists attarctions in Jaipur but the amazing hospitality of the Rajasthani family, I was staying with, and the ghee soaked royal homely meals, changed my mind. Spent the time overnight enjoying this best highlight of the trip, before moving out the next day early morning. Witnessed “Atithi Devo Bhava" to it’s truest sense.
3rd October 2017 (Day 4)
Left in the brisk early morning and headed to Udaipur, farthest point west of this trip. Broke this 400 kms long journey, with a short halt at Ajmer Shariff Dargah.
Jaipur to Ajmer is a good highway to ride upon. This being the Jaipur-Mumbai expressway is quite busy with traffic of trucks and trailers. Yet, has beautiful views at horizon for sighting. Overall, a good one to ride smoothly upon.
Reached Ajmer at around 0800 hrs. The city was welcoming with a beautiful view of yellow coloured hills and winding roads. A small ride further ahead into the colourful streets of this town and rows of shops selling skull caps were the right indication that I had reached the famous Ajmer Sharif Dargah.
This pilgrimage center is renowned for it’s belief of offering sheet onto the shrine. One can easily find a family or group of people walking under a vast spread of one to offer to the shrine. The main shrine is centered around a vast complex hidden in a criss-cross array of streets overflowing with the local market. Plenty of touristy shops lie in the surrounding streets and it would be a great place to escape the Indian cities. Finding a good spot for a safe parking of my bike was a bit of tedious task. Finally ended up at one of the local restaurant where the owner was courteous to keep a watch of my bike while I quickly made a visit to the Dargah.
A different number of entry and exit points serve the main complex to Dargah. Any first timer can be easily confused, thanks to the local streets which all looks the same in every way possible. There was no rush inside the complex owing to the morning time. A few annoying tout tried to encourage me to pay donations to the shrine, but I politely explained that it’s just a personal choice not to. Nonetheless, I bought a humble basket of rose petals to offer to the shrine.
A good 3-4 hrs. of time spent inside the shrine and I was ready to leave Ajmer to reach Udaipur by dusk.
A few kms of further ride onto the Jaipur-Mumbai Expressway and there is a slight diversion for Udaipur. The road from here onwards abruptly changes to a two- lane from the six lanes at expressway. It was noon by then and the weather was the hottest I had encountered in past few days. The roads were quite deserted with only small villages to be spotted here and there. In a nutshell, I was heading into a stark Rajasthani regime.
A few kms down this road just before I had reached Deogarh, the views around this two-lane, humble road started to change. The scenic beauty had just started taking shape, unknown to me that I was about to encounter the best ride of my time. The deserted open road, beautiful mountain ranges seen at a distance, array of camels lining the side-kerb and sparkling reflection of water from the lakes and ponds dotting this road at frequent intervals, forced me to make multiple stops and feast my camera with some breath-taking pictures.
Finally made it to Deogarh at around 0200pm, where I spotted a badass milestone. I couldn’t stop myself from taking a pose with.
Roads from here onwards were under construction with frequent diversions. The stretch is continually lined with the red sandstone mines and the winding road cutting through the mountains of red hue is worth enjoying. Once I crossed Beawar, the expressway started again and the view was quite beautiful. With the beautiful plains and ranges of yellow laden Haldighati in the sight, any attempt to picturesque this beauty in my words would be unjustified. One has to personally experience the magnificence of this stretch of land.
About 1 hour to Udaipur, the road started winding, with a welcoming tunnel as I reached the foot of some hills. Finally reached Udaipur by 1700 hrs. against the setting sunlight.
Had already booked into the Hostel Crawl at Udaipur. Finding the property was not a worry. While heading to the Hostel Crawl I passed through a small over bridge across Lake Pichola and the view was enough to push me to start the exploration of this city by same day itself.
Unloaded my bagpacks, got freshened up and started an evening stroll in the rich heritage streets of City of Lakes-Udaipur.
Udaipur is the most elegant city I have visited till date. It stands on a ridge surrounding a beautiful lake, with an eye capturing Palace centered on the hill. In the lake lie two islands, one the Lake Palace and another, an impressive Royal City Palace. The place I chose to stay had a lovely panaromic view of the lake shimmering at night with the reflections of the palaces.
The next two days in Udaipur, I spent visiting the various touristy spots. Started off with the Jagdish Temple in the morning that was lying opposite to the place I stayed. It was quite tall and had intricate carvings all around it.
The royal City Palace of Udaipur is a must visit attraction that can’t be a miss. The palace is pretty huge and it would take an entire day to explore each and every aspect of it. Starting from the personal living quarters of Meera Bai to the extensive crystal collection of the Late Maharaja of Udaipur, the list is never ending.
Spent the day roaming in streets of Udaipur and finally called it a day after feasting my belly in a good party hosted by the owner of Hostel Crawl. Any words of appreciation would be less for the team of Hostel Crawl. Managed by two enthusiastic friends Dev and Sahil, this property takes extreme care of its guests in terms of service. Made new friends over here and spent the whole night sharing each other’s travel story.
Next day planned for other beautiful locations in Udaipur those are worth visiting. The Karni Mata temple. The ropeway cars leading to the temple sitting at the highest hilltop serves a perfect bird-eye view of the Lake and the Palaces. One can see whole of Udaipur through the bastions of this beautifully maintained temple.
Next headed to the Vintage car museum. Ranging from the horse drawn carriages to huge collection of vintage cars, all beautifully preserved, shouts-out the rich royalty of the Maharajas of Udaipur. 1956 Mercedes Benz, 1930 Ford Standard Phaeton, 1946 Buick Super are just the few to name in the collection. A good photo session inside the museum and I was back to the hostel.
After spending two days visiting the local attractions of the Lake city, I decided to skip the remaining tourist attractions and loose myself into the local cultures and traditions. Chatted with hostel staff, explored the local market, observed the local life, tried my hands in preparation of local dishes at local centers, and enjoyed a cup of tea with fellow travellers at the hostel. To be specific, I learned the art of slow travel in Rajasthan. I didn’t feel the need to do typically touristy things all the time. I skipped a monument or two and happily relaxed.
Only by dissolving myself into the local culture I was able to explore this city in it’s truest sense. I remember enjoying my meal at a local cafe when out of no-where I was joined with a fellow solo traveller and the chords struck into friendship. Hamida and I watched the movie Octopussy that day, which they showcase every night in Udaipur. So Much of Roger Moore to watch and So Much of Quakers to receive!!! The people were affectionate and caring. Udaipur welcomed me, a solo traveller, with open arms and I had completely lost myself in this beautiful city.
Fourth day in city and I was ready to leave this beautiful place. The return leg of journey, from Udaipur to Gorakhpur, I broke in two parts with an overnight halt at Agra. Left from Udaipur early morning to reach Agra, 700kms away, by 8pm. Stayed at the same Moustache Hostel as I was quite satisfied with their hospitality. The next day took Agra-Lucknow expressway and NH28 to reach my place Gorakhpur at 6pm after clocking around 650 Kms.
During this trip I met many new faces, got in touch with a couple of new friends and experienced a plethora of new sights and lessons. However, the most important travel companion of mine all through this ride remained my Thumping Queen. She rode royally without any flaws and accepted whatever I was throwing at her with ease. She never complained a bit through the entire journey of 2800 kms. Some stretches were like never ending with 350 kms without a stop and didn’t feel that bike was stressed. The extreme conditions of the roads she was put to test, and the way she passed with flying colors, reassured my faith onto her. Cheers to you my DesertStorme.
End of each trip brings in mixed feelings for me; sad because the ride comes to an end and happiness because I actually live the life when I ride. I would not have liked this trip to end, would love to continue further ahead till the point beyond which no roads are laid, but guess this one has to end to welcome the other. After all, an exploration and a voyage never reveal their mysteries once and for all. Many investigations are reserved for the next transmit to undertake.
Soon I would be on another enthralling road trip with yet another beautiful experience. Till then, Fair winds !!!!
Sharing the videolog for my beloved readers:
Rajasthan, an ethnic and regal state of India, famed primarily for its rich culture and imposing forts and palaces. Rajasthan has a heritage and legacy to offer to all who divulge in its colourful turbans and ever trending chunris.
Quick bytes from the ride:
Bike: RE Classic Desert Storme 500
Rider: Me (Solo)
Dates: To start on 29 September 2017. Duration: 6 ± 1 days
Route Taken: Gorakhpur > Lucknow > Agra (Lucknow-Agra Expressway) > Jaipur > Ajmer Sharif > Udaipur
Distance covered: A little over 2800 Kms. (Up and Down)
29th Sept, 2017 (Day 0)
Clouds are running high, bag-pack is yet undecided, and it’s really hard to digest that few hours from now, I would be on my way to traverse around 2700 Kms. with no one guarding my back.
My Thumping Queen (RE Dessert Storme 500) is all set and has already been serviced and polished to her toeline. She sounds way too perfect for this trip. It’s even important of her to stay healthy and shining for she is going to be the only companion to me for next ten days. Her energy is going to make me move.
It’s already late night and just now I got my backpacks lashed onboard my ride. All lights and sound checked and I am all set to start by tomorrow early morning.
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| Ready to Depart |
From last two road trips I have personally experienced that its always better to start on long rides as early as possible at break of dawn. Not only the temperature is usually comfy but the roads are deserted too, which would help to traverse much of the distance before the mighty sun downs a rider with its sultry heat of West India.
30th September 2017 (Day 1)
Planned to wake up early by 2 AM but, late night packing and preparation of gears took way long than expected. In any case it was really hard to fall asleep as the slightest thought of me hitting the roads sent wave of rush all through spine. Got ready by 5 AM and was all set to depart on this never undertaken trip.
Negligible traffic during early hours of the day helped to brush past the city roads and hit the highway in no time. The fresh breeze of the cold air and the deserted highway happened to be welcoming. The glimpse of the first ray of the sun were yet nowhere to be find, which was a good sign that I would be at my first halt, Lucknow, by late afternoon.
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| NH 28 Gorakhpur - Lucknow |
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| Charming Nature |
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| The Endless Trail |
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| Live to Ride - Another Shot |
The ride through NH 28, connecting Gorakhpur and Lucknow, went like a breeze. The four lane highway is a comfort to ride upon. With an exception of few stretch of approach roads to the flyovers which are made of concrete onto which the front wheel of bike tends to swiver off a bit while cruising. One needs to be a bit careful while riding on these stretches.
By 08:30am crossed Barabanki. The traffic from here onwards started to increase a bit and the weather getting hotter. Finally I was in Lucknow by 09:15am. The plan over here is to make an overnight stay at my relatives place before heading further to Agra.
Spent the day well in Lucknow while visiting friends and family, watching movies and, laughing and smiling off at the dinner table. The quality time we spent, though small, refreshed every one of us. Planned to hit the bed by 09:00pm but got late in all the gossips and chitchats. Finally, went to bed by 02:00am only to wake up next day early morning 05:00am.
1st October 2017 (Day 2)
Woke up at 5am and was ready to hit the road by 6am. A warm farewell by the loved ones in an early morning chill overflowed the emotional stance of me. Leaving them did feel a bit odd. Wish could have a bit more time to stay.
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| VIP ride onto VIP road |
The early morning ride in Lucknow and a few kilometers further up onto Shaheed path and VIP road took me to Lucknow Agra expressway, India's longest Expressway. I had already topped up my tanks in addition to a few liters of gas into jerry cans as there won’t be any filling stations or service points for next 350 kms on the expressway.
At around 06:30am, the sun threw the first few streaks of light into the sky. The orange hue onto the blue sky appeared to be a golden archway welcoming me like a dignitary onto this beautiful and vast expressway.
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| India's Longest Expressway |
The lush green paddy fields and the minimalistic human settlements made me feel like the sole living habitat left around after an apocalypse. The arrow like shooting mega expressway lined up with green landscapes on both sides and the tranquil surroundings of the countryside is definitely a view to feast one’s eyes upon. All these itched me to halt over by side and take some shots.
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| The Catapulting Curve |
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| Arrow Straight |
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| Reflections of the journey |
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| Trying to catch the lane |
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| The Archway |
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| The Queens shadow |
The expressway is more or less same all along the 350 km stretch. Riding onto it feels like the time has come to a standstill with me moving onto the same path over and over again.
The well laid tarmac with no bumps and negligible traffic invited a comfortable cruise of 100 – 110 kph, thus reducing the travel time to Agra to a meagre 2.5-3 hrs. Though, with negligible traffic and service points, one has to be prepared for the worst in case of any breakdown when riding solo. Correctly said, when used in it’s full capacity this expressway will surely prove to be a boost in the economics of the state.
With a few halts for trying my photography skills and a blissful riding I was welcomed by the Taj Nagri at around 1030 hrs. Lucky for me to make it on time as the weather had just started getting hotter.
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| Taj Nagri |
The approach road diverting from the expressway into the Agra city was still under construction with stretches of it being lined up with sand and gravels. A snarl of incoming and outgoing traffic merging into a single lane at some points was enough to evaporate all the bliss I had earned on the expressway. Finally, at around 12:30pm reached Agra. Finding the Moustache Hostel was a piece of cake as it is situated right near the Taj Mahal – heart of the city. Finished all the formalities for check-in, unloaded bags and thanked my bike for being a wonderful travel companion through all the times.
The Moustache Hostel – The property is well maintained and the staff is welcoming. There is an ample parking space. The only thing that disappointed me is the food they have on offer. Although they have a lengthy menu with a hefty price, I could only find tea and biryani that they had in stock during wee hours of the day. Nonetheless, took rest for a while and a light meal before heading out for a stroll in the gardens of the Taj Mahal.
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| Love in Background |
Nothing can be said about this beautiful structure that has not been said already. It’s symmetrically magnificient minarets standing as timeless saga of love. Looking at the crowd it was evident that it would take another couple of hours to get on the top structure. But the beauty of the monument is worth every bit of wait and worries. The closer I was getting to the mausoleum, the more I’m jaw dropping at the intense delicacy with which this vast structure is designed. The elegant carvings of the holy Quran lined all along the doorway arches are just a few to point upon.
Stayed here for almost 4 hours admiring the great building from all angles. Took a few shots trying to capture the eternal beauty in some digital imprints of mine, before heading back to the hotel.
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| Beauty stands high |
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| Saga of Love |
TajMahal is a true gift of India’s rich cultural heritage and is more than just being unique. If you want to witness the beauty at it’s pristine best, then head over to TajMahal. Now!
The hustle bustle of the weekend, all places lit up with lights and array of tourists pumped life onto the heritage walk down the lanes outside of TajMahal. Roamed around the street for a while before having a sumptuous dinner and a mouthful of Panchi Petha. Agreed upon myself to sleep early today unlike the last two nights. 10pm and I had already hit the bed.
2nd October 2017 (Day 3)
Left Agra early morning around 05:00am once again to beat the city traffic before hitting the highway. The approach road from Agra to Agra-Jaipur Highway was in a really bad shape. The worst I encountered in my whole of the journey. They were bumpy giving some awful knocks to the shock absorbers worrying me about my queensly ride. At one point I was on a steep gravel covered road with a bus coming towards me taking the full lane. I had to brake quickly while pulling out of the way. My front wheel lost traction but luckily, I was able to save myself from falling around. The localities were courteous to help me balance the bike and the only thing hurt was my pride. To much of my relief they pointed that it was only a small stretch of this badass road left more ahead before I would be able to hit the highway. On this 5 km of stretch I averaged about 10kmph, and it was really draining, uncomfortable ride.
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| Shaming the Big Wheelers !!!! |
Once out of the city limits, the faint glimpse of Mughal city of FatehpurSikri drew up on the skyline. Caught a few shots of this city with its immense wall of over 70 feet high. Lined with massive circular bastions at regular intervals, the Mughals had depicted their amazing talent for designing formidable complexes with beautiful mathematical precision. This city ,built by, Emperor Akbar served as the capital of his kingdom for a mere 10 years, before being abandoned for lack of water supply.
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| FatehpurSikri |
Continued after taking a few shots to make way for the pink city Jaipur, the capital of the semi desert state of Rajasthan. 2 hours of ride further ahead and I was feeling damn hungry and started to get slight headache. The Agra-Jaipur Highway is dotted with ample choices, to feast upon one’s belly. Starting from the local dhabas offering typical Rajasthani cuisine to the food chains viz. McDonalds and Pizzahut, this highway offers a mouth-watering ride. At around 10am, stopped at a local restaurant and ordered a Rajasthani lunch. This was by far one of the best highway relishes I had in recent times. A simple meal followed by ghee soaked bati-churma and chilled chaas.
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| Feeling Hungry?? |
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| Rajasthani Cuisines |
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| Baati Churma underway |
The place was full of devotees to/from Mehndipur Balaji who were stopping-by for a quick lunch. This attracted unnecessary attention towards my ride; people were astonished to see a bike and rider all loaded with bags and gears. Quickly finished lunch and decided to pay a visit to Mehndipur Balaji Temple which was some 20 kms away.
Mehndipur happens to be a small town and visiting this place was surely a new experience to me. The bumper crowd could be easily understood by fact that around 3km long human chain crisscrossed outside the temple complex awaiting their entry. Inspite of this huge footfall the temple happens to be poorly managed by the local authorities. With no basic infrastructure, it seemed, how in the name of faith, vast resources are poorly spent off without proper planning.
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| Arriving MehndipurBalaji |
The famed temple at Mehndipur is resided by the monkey-faced Lord Hanuman. It is strongly believed that this incarnation of Lord Hanuman as Balaji wards of evil forces. The temple complex has a large hallway lined up with men and women believed to be haunted by evil spirits. Some of the women being covered in all red vermilion from head to toe and shivering and shouting, in god-knows what language. Men, claimed to be overtaken by evil forces, chained to the strong points of the hallway and priests hitting them with the rice grains, previously offered to the lord. The sheer view of the happenings all around was scary and is surely not for weak-hearted.
It took me next 3-4 hours inside the main building, to process the happenings around me. Once out, I was shit scared and the only thing I wanted was to rush past this town. I revved my bike and flew from this place faster than you could say “Supranterrificsexperiencecallous”.
A few hours of ride further ahead and the landscape and weather had drastically changed. The sun was shining in it’s full glory. The lush green paddy fields on the sidekerbs had already given way to the golden touch of the sand and the barren lands. As far as the sight goes, the mirage of burning heat seemed to evaporate the coal tar off the well laden tarmac. Spotting the camel drawn carts was now more frequent. The sultry heat, colourful and bright turbans, pitch red chunris and, the ever falling veil hiding the women’s face welcomed me to Radiant Rajasthan.
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| Agra-Jaipur Expressway |
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| Mesmerizing and Welcoming |
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| Desert Storme and Desert's Ship |
Jaipur, a colourful place to loose oneself into, but the traffic might drive you crazy. An overnight stay in the city and reliving the good old days with college friends refreshed every bit of mine. Planned to visit the different tourists attarctions in Jaipur but the amazing hospitality of the Rajasthani family, I was staying with, and the ghee soaked royal homely meals, changed my mind. Spent the time overnight enjoying this best highlight of the trip, before moving out the next day early morning. Witnessed “Atithi Devo Bhava" to it’s truest sense.
3rd October 2017 (Day 4)
Left in the brisk early morning and headed to Udaipur, farthest point west of this trip. Broke this 400 kms long journey, with a short halt at Ajmer Shariff Dargah.
Jaipur to Ajmer is a good highway to ride upon. This being the Jaipur-Mumbai expressway is quite busy with traffic of trucks and trailers. Yet, has beautiful views at horizon for sighting. Overall, a good one to ride smoothly upon.
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| Catching a Sunrise enroute |
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| Highway Relishes |
Reached Ajmer at around 0800 hrs. The city was welcoming with a beautiful view of yellow coloured hills and winding roads. A small ride further ahead into the colourful streets of this town and rows of shops selling skull caps were the right indication that I had reached the famous Ajmer Sharif Dargah.
This pilgrimage center is renowned for it’s belief of offering sheet onto the shrine. One can easily find a family or group of people walking under a vast spread of one to offer to the shrine. The main shrine is centered around a vast complex hidden in a criss-cross array of streets overflowing with the local market. Plenty of touristy shops lie in the surrounding streets and it would be a great place to escape the Indian cities. Finding a good spot for a safe parking of my bike was a bit of tedious task. Finally ended up at one of the local restaurant where the owner was courteous to keep a watch of my bike while I quickly made a visit to the Dargah.
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| The Perfection and The Story |
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| Blessings of The Highness |
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| Khwaja Ajmer Sharif |
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| Mouth watering Ajmer's Bhel |
A different number of entry and exit points serve the main complex to Dargah. Any first timer can be easily confused, thanks to the local streets which all looks the same in every way possible. There was no rush inside the complex owing to the morning time. A few annoying tout tried to encourage me to pay donations to the shrine, but I politely explained that it’s just a personal choice not to. Nonetheless, I bought a humble basket of rose petals to offer to the shrine.
A good 3-4 hrs. of time spent inside the shrine and I was ready to leave Ajmer to reach Udaipur by dusk.
A few kms of further ride onto the Jaipur-Mumbai Expressway and there is a slight diversion for Udaipur. The road from here onwards abruptly changes to a two- lane from the six lanes at expressway. It was noon by then and the weather was the hottest I had encountered in past few days. The roads were quite deserted with only small villages to be spotted here and there. In a nutshell, I was heading into a stark Rajasthani regime.
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| Deogarh |
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| Me and Haldighati |
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| The Queen, me and The Haldighati |
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| Just they Both !! |
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| Traversing Haldighati |
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| Not any other Planet - Somewhere near Udaipur |
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| The Glorious Lake |
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| Yet Another Shot |
Finally made it to Deogarh at around 0200pm, where I spotted a badass milestone. I couldn’t stop myself from taking a pose with.
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| A Milestone achieved |
Roads from here onwards were under construction with frequent diversions. The stretch is continually lined with the red sandstone mines and the winding road cutting through the mountains of red hue is worth enjoying. Once I crossed Beawar, the expressway started again and the view was quite beautiful. With the beautiful plains and ranges of yellow laden Haldighati in the sight, any attempt to picturesque this beauty in my words would be unjustified. One has to personally experience the magnificence of this stretch of land.
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| Exploring beautiful Paths |
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| Royally Elegant |
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| Against Falling Sunlight |
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| White Marble Mines |
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| Welcoming Udaipur |
Had already booked into the Hostel Crawl at Udaipur. Finding the property was not a worry. While heading to the Hostel Crawl I passed through a small over bridge across Lake Pichola and the view was enough to push me to start the exploration of this city by same day itself.
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| The Bridge to Royalty - Entering Udaipur |
Udaipur is the most elegant city I have visited till date. It stands on a ridge surrounding a beautiful lake, with an eye capturing Palace centered on the hill. In the lake lie two islands, one the Lake Palace and another, an impressive Royal City Palace. The place I chose to stay had a lovely panaromic view of the lake shimmering at night with the reflections of the palaces.
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| Udaipur - Glistening nightfall |
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| Udaipur - in Essence |
The next two days in Udaipur, I spent visiting the various touristy spots. Started off with the Jagdish Temple in the morning that was lying opposite to the place I stayed. It was quite tall and had intricate carvings all around it.
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| Jagdish Temple |
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| Intricate carvings |
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| Another Shot |
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| Worth Admiring |
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| The Beauty of Blessings |
The royal City Palace of Udaipur is a must visit attraction that can’t be a miss. The palace is pretty huge and it would take an entire day to explore each and every aspect of it. Starting from the personal living quarters of Meera Bai to the extensive crystal collection of the Late Maharaja of Udaipur, the list is never ending.
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| Royally Extravagant |
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| Udaipur from the City Palace |
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| One of the Many work pieces |
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| Crystal Palace of the Maharaja |
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| The Red Love |
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| Just another - Porthole !! |
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| Beautiful Night |
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| The Marvellous Gateway |
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| Udaipur Palace - shining in night |
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| Another View of palace |
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| Even shadows boast Royalty |
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| The hallucinations of lavishness |
Spent the day roaming in streets of Udaipur and finally called it a day after feasting my belly in a good party hosted by the owner of Hostel Crawl. Any words of appreciation would be less for the team of Hostel Crawl. Managed by two enthusiastic friends Dev and Sahil, this property takes extreme care of its guests in terms of service. Made new friends over here and spent the whole night sharing each other’s travel story.
Next day planned for other beautiful locations in Udaipur those are worth visiting. The Karni Mata temple. The ropeway cars leading to the temple sitting at the highest hilltop serves a perfect bird-eye view of the Lake and the Palaces. One can see whole of Udaipur through the bastions of this beautifully maintained temple.
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| From the Ropeway |
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| Karni Mata Temple Hill-top |
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| Queensly ride to Lake FatehSagar |
Next headed to the Vintage car museum. Ranging from the horse drawn carriages to huge collection of vintage cars, all beautifully preserved, shouts-out the rich royalty of the Maharajas of Udaipur. 1956 Mercedes Benz, 1930 Ford Standard Phaeton, 1946 Buick Super are just the few to name in the collection. A good photo session inside the museum and I was back to the hostel.
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| Royal Bugghi - Lucky Horses |
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| In Love - Reddish |
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| Maharaja's Ride |
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| Gaddi - Chevrolet Truck |
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| Vintage Fuel Station |
After spending two days visiting the local attractions of the Lake city, I decided to skip the remaining tourist attractions and loose myself into the local cultures and traditions. Chatted with hostel staff, explored the local market, observed the local life, tried my hands in preparation of local dishes at local centers, and enjoyed a cup of tea with fellow travellers at the hostel. To be specific, I learned the art of slow travel in Rajasthan. I didn’t feel the need to do typically touristy things all the time. I skipped a monument or two and happily relaxed.
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| Defying Laws of Gravity |
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| Ghoomar - Rajasthan shows |
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| Talk to me Puppets.. |
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| Brownie Points |
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| Padhaaro Mhaaro Desh |
Only by dissolving myself into the local culture I was able to explore this city in it’s truest sense. I remember enjoying my meal at a local cafe when out of no-where I was joined with a fellow solo traveller and the chords struck into friendship. Hamida and I watched the movie Octopussy that day, which they showcase every night in Udaipur. So Much of Roger Moore to watch and So Much of Quakers to receive!!! The people were affectionate and caring. Udaipur welcomed me, a solo traveller, with open arms and I had completely lost myself in this beautiful city.
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| Me and the Queen Posing |
During this trip I met many new faces, got in touch with a couple of new friends and experienced a plethora of new sights and lessons. However, the most important travel companion of mine all through this ride remained my Thumping Queen. She rode royally without any flaws and accepted whatever I was throwing at her with ease. She never complained a bit through the entire journey of 2800 kms. Some stretches were like never ending with 350 kms without a stop and didn’t feel that bike was stressed. The extreme conditions of the roads she was put to test, and the way she passed with flying colors, reassured my faith onto her. Cheers to you my DesertStorme.
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| The Final Shot |
End of each trip brings in mixed feelings for me; sad because the ride comes to an end and happiness because I actually live the life when I ride. I would not have liked this trip to end, would love to continue further ahead till the point beyond which no roads are laid, but guess this one has to end to welcome the other. After all, an exploration and a voyage never reveal their mysteries once and for all. Many investigations are reserved for the next transmit to undertake.
Soon I would be on another enthralling road trip with yet another beautiful experience. Till then, Fair winds !!!!
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