Day 1,2 & 3

Dear user,

I am extremely sorry for the delay in posting the updates, blame the unavailability of a cyber café (forget cyber café, getting my cell phone signal has become a luxury). Today will be my last day in maharashtra, I am in Dhule.

Day 0 – The departure,

Unlike my last trip, there was nothing to rush in the last hour. I went to SRS travels in the morning and asked them to load my bike in the bus I was traveling. Initially he demandd 400Rs, and finally I got it down to 150 Rs. Every thing was packed and I was all set to leave to the bus stop (just 10 mins drive from my place) at 8 (the bus was at 8.30). Half way through I realized that I had forgotten to take my camera, so had to come back and pick it up. The bus arrived on time and after few calls I set the alarm for 6 AM and slept.

Day 1

The Alarm woke me up at 6 and the bus was expected to reach bijapur by 6.30. After few minutes, the co passenger sitting next to me woke up and I asked him what time would Gol gumbaz open, he replied by the time the bus reaches Bijapur it will be open. Do they open as early as 6.30? he replied it would open by 10 and the bus was running late by 3 hrs.. A bad start! For the next 3 hrs he spoke about bijapur, places of intrest, agriculture.. etc and I just started to nid-nod for courtesy.

The bus hit the bus stop at sharp 10 and my bike was in a good shape. I went to a lodge opposite to the bus stand and asked him if i can get a room to freshenup for 30 mins, he didn’t have any rooms available but he asked me to use the bathroom!! Awesome, that was all I needed. I took bath and was ready to hit the road in 15 mins. I went to a nearby restorent for breakfast and it was very lousey.

My first start point was Gol gumbaz, which was 8 km’s away and iu reached in 10 mins. It is the mausoleum of Mohammed Adil Shah built in 1649. The dome is the second largest one in the world which is unsupported by any pillar (1st one is in Rome). The acoustics of the enclosed place make it a whispering gallery where even the smallest sound is heard across the other side of the Gumbaz. At the periphery of the dome is a circular balcony where visitors can witness the astounding whispering gallery. Any whisper, clap or sound gets echoed around 7 times. By 11 I was on my waay to ibharim Rauza, the tomb of adil shal 2. The design of Ibharim Rauza served as an inspiration for Taj mahal. By 12, it was time for me to say good to Bijapur and very soon to karnataka and was on my way to Solapur. Note – Do not expect cleanliness in Bijapur, the entire city is very dirty.

Now starts the real ride, I need to cover 107 kms in 6 hrs. There is nothing much to talk about the ride as it was a bit boring and I had my lunch (Alu Palak , roti and tea) in a Dabha on the way. The place is very dry without any trees for shade and the people look like xerophytics. After few more tea breaks (The tea tastes excellent) and chit chat with the people on the way I reached Solapur and found a decent room for 200. After shopping few oranges I hit the bed at 10.

Day 2 and 3

I am clubbing Day 2 and 3 together as I do not have much to talk about. Firstly, google map is 99% accurate and I fell in the 1% category. It showed a town called terkhed on the way to Aurangabad (where I planned to stay on day 2) which happened to be a very small village with 2 huts  . It was already 7, pitch dark and getting colder every min. Luckily I found a Dhaba on the way and spent the night there (it was fun though, truck drivers singing and dancing all night).

Day 3 I rode 130 kms and stayed in a place called Gevrai. The lodge I stayed was probably the dirtiest lodge in india. I do not intend to explain more about it (People intrested to know more can mail me ).

Overall, its been close to 360 kms ride and people tend to ask the same questions

First – where am I from and where am I heading to? – Bijapur to Delhi

Second – Where do I work? – bangalore

Third – Government job or a private Job (they will not respect you if you are in a private job) – Private (I disappoint them)

Fourth – How much do I earn? – never ask a guys salary nor a girls age

Fifth – 10,000? – Bit more than that

They all start laughing for them selves telling being truck drivers we earn more than you, studying is of no use – But I spend at least half a day with my family and I can be more healthier when I gt old (I tell this to myself). The region is too backward in literacy and

so are the peoples thinking. I got to see how entire india would have been in 1950’s in these 3 days. But, food and tea are the only two things that really impressed me so far. They cook with passion. In a day I am having 5 cups of tea. I will post the Pics soon as this cyber parlor owner is scared that my camera has virus!!