WCR 1113

13^th Nov 2014: Mangalore to Wayanad:

We left early in the morning. Today we would be entering Kerala where we would be spending the next four days of our tour. The road was not in great condition. It turned worse when we entered Kerala. This wasn’t the sort of welcome we were expecting. The traffic was even worse. All sorts of vehicles were plying on the narrow stretch of highway. Buses coming in opposite directions nearly scraped each other. The drivers were always eager to overtake so every vehicle was always travelling in the middle of the road.

We thought conditions would improve later on and then turned towards Bekal Fort at Kasargod. The road to the Fort was broken and wet. We were still optimistic and showed patience. Soon we pulled into the empty parking lot. The Fort was very well maintained. The real sight was on the other end of the entry gate. It overlooked the sea and a wonderful beach. We spent a good time clicking photos here.

On exiting, we asked for directions to Wayanad. Surprisingly, we faced a language barrier. Kerala is a very hot tourist destination with high literacy. We were taken aback to find this barrier here. Thankfully, we didn’t need to go back the route we came to reach the highway. The road onwards also connected to it, although the names of the towns in between were very difficult to remember and pronounce.

Moving on the main highway, Zaheer was again in the lead. He was stopped at a police check post while the rest of us cleanly passed through. We also stopped a short distance ahead. The language barrier showed itself again. It resulted in heating up the conversation. Only one of the officers was speaking broken Hindi. It resulted in some confusion on showing the registrations. The cops were grabbing at the tiger on the front mudguard(extra fitting) and parking lights(extra light). They relented on these two but then stuck on the absence of rearview mirrors. When the rest of the riders reached the group, they were convinced that we were part of a single group and were genuine tourers. Finally after checking all papers, they let him go warning him to get mirrors installed before the next town.

The “next town” was a misnomer. There isn’t such a thing in Kerala. We had now covered 100 kms and were continuously surrounded by civilization. The “town” seemed to be never ending. There wasn’t an empty patch to be seen. Ignoring everything else, we came across our first Toddy shop in the state and immediately stopped. Only Ashok, Gyan and I were interested while the rest took their breakfast in the neighboring shop.

Unsure of the quantity, we ordered only half a litre between the three of us. It is said to make one very tipsy if it ages. Fried spicy fish was offered as snacks. The tipsy effect was displayed by a local there. He was very interested in talking to us. He straightaway came and handed a big wad of money in Ashok’s hands. He then started to narrate his family problems. He downed three glasses one after the other in quick succession and then said goodbye to us.

We found the taste of toddy very appealing and decided to have a lot more in the night. For now, we were struggling to find the road to Wayanad. Everyone we asked had a different route to suggest and understanding that route was very difficult. Moreover, the continuous running town had way too many turns and traffic. It was difficult to stick together. The signboards were showing a different direction than the one suggested by the locals. Wayanad isn’t the name of a town. Its actually a district. What we should have asked instead was Pulpally. All of us finally joined together after Kannur on the way to Kuthupuramba.

The traffic was still heavy but thankfully lighter than the main highway. News had reached us from BoP Bangalore chapter that they were just 100 kms from Pulpally at noon. They had encountered rain on the way. We had been lucky till now. But as we crossed Kuthupuramba, it started to pour. Rain suits were brought out. We stopped for lunch after some time and it was still raining. Gyan and I immediately headed to the nearby toddy shop. Lo and behold, for snacks they served pork. We should have called Nilu right then and there but the thought didn’t cross our mind. Again we purchased only half a litre. We were increasing our intake incrementally.

When we reached back and told this to Nilu, he was agitated. He immediately ran to the shop in the rain to have pork. Unfortunately, Gyan and I had finished the last lot. Nilu was furious. His face was that of a child deprived of promised chocolate. This could bite back at us viciously.

We set off again as the rain lightened. Now, we were seeing countryside. But what tensed us was that none of signboards were showing Pulpally. Majority were pointing to Sultan Bathery. After much navigating, we finally saw the signboards. We had made it to Pulpally right before dark. Now began another exercise of finding Holidays Inn Wayanad guided by directions of Ms Malini. A nearby spokesperson of CPI(M) distracted us. He was speaking with vigor. Unfortunately, not many of the passersby were interested in what was being said. Throughout our journey in Kerala we had seen the red flags of CPI(M) besides the road. The students’ association even added a Che Guevara pic to their signposts. Such is the influence of Che in a country he never visited.

We made it to Hotel Wayanad Inn and dumped our luggage. Now began the daily exercise of cleaning up and going out to pick up supplies. Our journey of 250 kms today had left us exhausted. It had still taken us 12 hours to cover the distance. We were not expecting journeys to be so long. We went to the Toddy shop in town and brought in 6 litres of toddy along with pork for snacks.

While Gyan and I fetched the drinks, BoP Bangalore had reached the hotel as well. The North and South chapters of our club were meeting for the first time. We met like brothers separated in Kumbh Mela. This was the first time the two chapters would be riding together. What made the Ride even more special was the Anniversary month, November. This was a grand celebration.

Now we had to pour the toddy from the packed polythenes into the water jugs. One of the three bags had leaked and we were being extra careful in pouring out the contents. All went to the floor as one other bag came crashing down on the floor, due to my misplacement. A litre of toddy spilled on the floor. We would have to make do with the leftover.

All of us gathered at the dining table and cheered for the occasion of Anniversary. 

We all laughed at the narration of BoP Bangalore’s misnavigation to reach Wayanad. The laughter didn’t stop after that. There was plenty of toddy and time in our hands. Even though a litre was spilled there was enough to go around. We could manage to finish only 4 litres. One litre was still left. After some time, Rohit and Zaheer went out into the town to fetch dinner. The hotel didn’t have a kitchen. They returned with ample quantities of chicken biryani, chilli chicken, rice and some veg, along with sweet dish. The toddy had made our heads heavy and we didn’t eat much food. Tomorrow would be a day to explore. 

WCR 1114

14^th Nov 2014: Wayanad

During our research, we had seen many places to explore in Wayanad. We targeted to cover three of them today. First on the list was Kuruva river island. We stopped at a small dhaba enroute for breakfast.

The language barrier flared up again. But thanks to Rohit’s excellent sign language, we got bread omelets and “kadak” chai.  He was also active in bringing many snacks until the breakfast came. The owner must have been happy to see his age-old items getting consumed. We all joked on how he would bring out an old carton soon, which he shortly did. We would devour anything.

Lunch was expected to be much delayed today so we ate to our full. After parking our motorcycles (special mention that Nilu was riding as pillion) and purchasing the tickets, a bamboo raft took us to the island. We expected to see something unique here. A path led through the circumference of the island. There was a large group already there and we stayed behind for a while to let the noise pass first. Meanwhile the photographers turned into rapid fire mode. Muzzles of their cameras were pointed at leaves and their veins. The funny angles began to show. They also obliged us by clicking the group from time to time. Familiar jokes started on Varun’s height.

There was nothing special on the island. It was as if a landmass was deliberately converted into a tourist spot. The greenery must have been attractive to some but not for us. To the other visitors however, our group was the special sight. Where else would one find so much diversity (Assam, Himachal, Andhra, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab) in a single group.

We came across another noisy spot. Here people were allowed to go into the water. We had already had enough of bathing in Goa, so we just hung around for a while and then started back. We took a group pic with the motorcycles in the parking lot. Other tourists were also clicking the pic.

Next on the list was Edakkal caves. This sight had come into our coverage through scoopwhoop. In fact, the mention of this place had changed our entire itinerary inside Kerala. We had made our way inwards from the coast to cover Edakkal. But on the way back to Pulpally it started to rain, that too heavily. Rohit, Satish and I were together at this point and we stopped outside a house to take shelter. While we put on our rain suits, an elderly lady welcomed us. We would have had a lovely chat if not for the language issue. She was supremely jovial. We caught up with the rest of the group and waited for the rain to subside a little.

On reaching back to the hotel, it was decided to hire a jeep and head to Edakkal. We were not taking chance of riding in the rain now. There would be ample time to do that in the following days. All nine of us crammed into the Mahindra Jeep. We had lots of laughs when the driver insisted on Nilu sitting besides the driver. The gearshift would have been very interesting. Fortunately for Nilu, the Jeep didn’t require much of it. There’s enough torque to carry the Jeep in top gear. We also picked up some croissants to help us on the way.

We reached the parking lot and then started the ascent to the caves on foot. It was a very steep path. Gyan was soon panting and wheezing. Nilu has become fitter than before and didn’t pant as much. I have also become fitter due to marathons and did not tire easily. Satish was caught by a travelling couple to click a photo of them and send it by mail later. We suggested Satish to wait here and continue with other couples while we take the trek. He would’ve made enough to cover his Ride expenses.

It was nice to see that guards did not allow plastic bottles without a refundable deposit. These bottles are the cause of trash lying around in places. This practice should be followed in other states as well.

We reached the lower cave after much climbing. Natural water is used to refill bottles here. Then the ascent to the upper cave started. Although exhausting, the view from above was marvelous. Rocky ridges stood above the greenery of abundant palms. These views make traveling the distance worth it.

The security inside the cave served as guides too. No wonder he spoke clear English as well as Hindi. He described to us the history of the 6000 years old inscriptions.

Right at the corner of the Edakkal (between two stones) cave was a large crack between the mountains. This spot is marketed as a viewpoint. The might of nature can be felt at this viewpoint.

It took us some time for the descent and when we reached the Jeep, the driver was nowhere to be found. While he returned we discussed on the next spot to explore. A sad phenomenon about the state is that all tourist spots close at 4 pm. This left us no time to explore our third spot, the dam. Damn. We asked the driver on suggestions for the next place, but to no avail. He didn’t understand a word we spoke. BK called up a Mallu friend of his to act as interpreter.

So, we decided to return. Along the way, we were on the lookout for a toddy shop. But the driver was again not understanding. He drove non-stop towards Pulpally. We straightaway headed to the restaurant from where Rohit and Zaheer had picked up our dinner the previous night. Beef and chicken dishes were ordered with Malabar parota, and some veg, the spoilsport.

We had a good amount of leftover from the previous night for today’s dinner. So, while some hung around the small market, some rested and Nilu and BK went to pick up supplies for the night. This time we bought in moderate. Our caretaker, Wilson had taken fancy to the coffee maker of Rohit and was ready to buy it from him. No price would make him part with it during the Ride. This was Rohit’s most valuable possession. Wilson had to relent but Rohit promised he would send him one. We had a lot of travelling to do in the following days. Meanwhile trouble started for two riders. Gyan and Satish got upset stomachs. All the hogging of the past few days took its toll. It can cause great discomfort on a ride.

WCR 1115

15^th Nov 2014: Wayanad to Allepey

We had four action packed days of continuous riding now. We had kept the distance limited having no idea of how long it would take. We estimated we could cover 300 kms in 7 hours. How hard could it be? It turned out to be very hard. Leaving early from Pulpally helped us cover a good distance. We had taken a longer route through Sultan Bathery and the roadside view was fantastic along with a gentle mist.

This was turning out to be a most pleasant experience until we reached the Ghats. 

The road grew narrow again and traffic increased. And then we reached the bustling city of Kozhikode. Our progress had slowed very much now and we stopped for breakfast. This place turned out to be the worst one during our Ride. They served us cold food. The good part about it was we were done and dusted with the place in 30 mins. This must have been our fastest breakfast.

We were away from the countryside now and were travelling through THE town with no boundaries. This “town” covers the entire coastline of Kerala. I’ll refer it to as “Dread” town. Roads go anywhere to everywhere in this town and there is civilization throughout the highway sides, on both sides. Household gates open right on the highway. The traffic is continuous with all sorts of vehicles. Buses are extra wide and always driving in the centre of the road offering little chance of overtaking. While we were enjoying the touristy spots and toddy bars, Dread was having its toll.

My Bullet was also having some electrical trouble when the speed exceeded 80. So, I had to keep it below 70 which became a problem when overtaking. Don’t be disillusioned by the speed mentioned. It was rarely that we reached them. Dread made sure we didn’t. Even if we somehow managed to reach it Dread ensured that we brake that instant.

Back on NH17, the road width improved after Edappal. The first signs of trouble showed when someone pointed out that Satish’s Thunderbird was making too much noise. After this was mentioned even Satish began to worry. He hadn’t realized the noise before this. It turned out that the oil level had fallen drastically. It took frantic searching to find 20W50 grade oil.

After Edappal, each one of us went in different directions. At Kunnamkulam, a series of turns confused the entire group. Some took the road to Thrissur, some towards Guruvayur, while some went in a third direction. Rohit, Zaheer and I were headed towards Guruvayur. Three different groups in three different directions. We stopped for lunch and also to gather our bearings.

Messages in the Whatsapp group were even more confusing. All pin-drops were at different times so there was no way where the dropper would be at this point. The best bet was to continue to Allepey and meet at Hotel Raiban only. The waiter at the hotel suggested that we take a ferry at Vypin on the ay to Allepey. This got us very excited to have a unique experience.

We could take consolation in the fact that we were experiencing Coastal Ride. NH17 to Thrissur was inwards, away from the sea. Now that the chances of regrouping looked bleak, the idea of heading to Vypin sounded great. It would delay us but at least we would have experienced something special. Rohit badly wanted a ‘Swades’ pic.

When we reached Paravoor, and asked the distance to Vypin, it was learnt that the 30 kms would not be on good roads. So, the ferry plan was ditched and we continued on the Dread roads. At places, the road grew so narrow that it was impossible to see it as a highway. By now the sun was also setting. Kochi was madly crowded. Even though the highway had now broadened, the massive traffic kept us slow. 60 kms still remained till Allepey. The three of us stuck together. It had grown dark now.

The four-lane reconverted into two-lane. On our final break before Allepey, we learnt that Satish’s Bullet was again giving trouble. They had taken a long time at the service station and then decided to halt at Kochi for the night.

We were glad to regroup at Kochi, but disappointed to see the hotel rooms. They were shabby. It looked like the small Pahargunj room. We were too exhausted to complain. It had taken us more than 14 hours to cover the 320 kms today. Nilu shocked everyone by leaving for official work at Chingavanam. He wasn’t having a true vacation. Bosses always play spoilsport. The rest of us stepped out into the town looking for a bar.

We came across one at a hotel. There was only one waiter handling everything. He was courteous but pushy. We had to order hurriedly and we ordered a lot of it. When the pomfrets arrived, they were bathed in oil. Kingfisher strong was the only option available. So, we spent a lot of money and didn’t enjoy it. We all admired the patience of the waiter though to carry out all his duties without losing his cool.

On the way back to the hotel, we stopped at a roadside stall to have dosa with chhole, an unusual combination. But it was tasty. We all enjoyed the Rs 100 meal at this point much more than the Rs 2200 snacks at the bar. Exhausted we crashed out. 

WCR 1116

16^th Nov 2014: Allepey to Kanyakumari

We planned to do some boating on the backwaters today. So, the BoP Bangalore were asked to reach us before 7 AM, and they did. We struck an expensive deal with one of the jetties and started our cruise of 3 hours. This was what Kerala is famous for, the backwaters. The leisurely cruise did allow us some rest time. Everyday we were waking up and riding all day and reaching late. Now was the time we were relaxing. The size of certain AC jetties dwarfed ours.

Life on the water is always peaceful. It’s like living in nature’s lap. Mother Nature gently lulls you to sleep. Of course, it’s never that peaceful when you have a bunch of BoP-ians around. Peace is shattered and the noise is heard for hours. On the jetty, it was easy to identify the target for leg-pulling. He was always the guy standing in the front getting his pic clicked. Not that the guys seated had it safe. No one is safe when the BoP-mood is around.

We were getting hungry now and stopped at an island for snacks. The king prawns and crabs at this place made us hungrier. 

It was time to turn back soon as we had to reach Kanyakumari before sunset. On the way back we saw the snake boat also. 

It would be a grand sight to see them in racing. We encountered traffic jams on the waterways too. Dread plays its part everywhere.

We had 240 kms to cover today. Given our experience until now, it looked impossible that we would make it before sunset. But we were determined. And so, all saddled up we set off again, only to be stopped soon at a police check post. They checked everyone. We are always prepared for such occasions and carry all the necessary paperwork. All, except Gyan. Since the first day he had mentioned that he wasn’t carrying PUC. It had been a week now and he still hadn’t got it made despite visiting so many petrol pumps. But on learning the fine amount to be Rs 100, he was actually happy to pay it. Delhi Police, why do we have to pay Rs 1100? Strangely, the entire incident was also being videographed. It seems there was a checking drive in progress.

We continued on Dread’s roads now. Our exploration of multiple routes still hadn’t ended. The first town to contribute to this factor was Kollam, 85 kms later. A series of turns was enough to split the group. Crossing Kollam was a big task in itself by the route I had taken. I was still following directions to Trivandrum when the road was blocked. This meant a diversion into the inner city. Strangely though when I asked the other riders later they hadn’t taken the same route. Navigating the city was tough with the language problem. I managed to do it after a brief visit to Kollam beach.

I was riding solo now. The other were on the outskirts of Trivandrum and waiting. I took the byepass of the city and took the airport road. The locals also pointed the same route to me to reach Kanyakumari. 20 kms later, I reached Kovalam. Gyan called up and asked the whereabouts. They had taken the road into the city. The group had further split. Zaheer and Ashok were the ones with most resolve and they had continued desperate to reach our destination before sunset. Looking at the time it looked difficult that I would make it. So I took the turn and headed towards Kovalam beach. It was in the planned itinerary and I thought of checking it off the list.

The beach was beautiful. If Dread had allowed it, we would have had a fabulous time here. Without wasting too much time, I continued on. Only 82 kms remained now. The road had not widened but the traffic was considerably less now. The road condition was excellent. On the way I came across a turn and took it to have a closer look at the view at the far end. It was a straight road to a dead end touching the sea. This place was fantastic for a group shot, but I had to make do with a solo.

Again, I didn’t spend much time here and raced on. My electrical problem was over. I increased the throttle and the gentle curves on the road were absolutely delightful. I crossed Kerala into Tamil Nadu. I gave a sigh of relief. Dread was behind us. The others must have also had the same reaction. Soon, I noticed a familiar motorcycle ahead of me. It was Satish on his Thunderbird. I sure was glad to reach the group again. But soon it started to rain. Both of us stopped to put on rain suits. Nilu and Gyan caught up. Skipping of lunch had allowed me to overtake them. They also shared my reaction of leaving Dread behind.

The winsome threesome stuck together now. The rain lasted only a few more minutes. As the clouds parted, the sun came out. There was still a chance that we could make it to Kanyakumari before sunset. A small chance was all we needed and we raced. It was a race against the sun. The roads favored us as it grew wider. Since we were heading in a south-easterly direction, we had to look behind us to check the sun from time to time. The sight made overtaking easier as we pulled the throttle more and more. We were going fast, but safe.

Then came Nagercoil. Diversions took us into the city’s interiors. It was frustrating. The good part was that now the signboards displayed English along with the local language and they were present at each kilometer and turn. This was a big help in crossing the city which was missing in Dread. By now, we could even make out how Kanyakumari was written in Tamil. There wasn’t time to learn more Tamil characters as we continued with our race.

We entered the city limits and then a huge crowd awaited us at the Sunset point. The sun had set. We had missed it by 15 mins. Lots of ifs and buts came to the mind. Ashok and Zaheer had made it. They were present at the spot. The only solace we got was that clouds had blocked the actual sunset. It was upto the photographers now to adjust their exposures and make it look like a sunset.

The others also soon joined us, except for Satish. He had chosen to go to the hotel and have rest. He was feeling a bit feverish. We hung around as the crowd around us disappeared. At last here we were, the southernmost point of mainland India, the point of confluence of three great water bodies. We couldn’t ride any more south than this. From this point on, it was only northwards. It was a feeling akin to what one must feel at the top of Mount Everest, I guess. We were more than 3000 kms away from Delhi. Now we had to turn back. Well, there was no other option too.

After a photo session, we reached back to our hotel. To our surprise, what we had expected to happen in Kerala, happened in Tamil Nadu instead. We were expecting language barriers here, but faced them in Kerala instead. The hotel manager was a cheerful person and spoke good Hindi. This observation would continue for the next couple of days. While hotel managers in Kerala were very warm and welcoming, here in Tamil Nadu, they were friendly.

The rooms were nothing to cheer about though. We had booked at an extremely budget hotel and it played the part. Our rooms were on the 4th floor and we had to haul our luggage all the way up. Then, one of the 4-sharing rooms didn’t have a working ceiling fan. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Satish though, who preferred it given his feverish state.

We asked the manager directions to the wine shop. But when we reached there, no beer was available. The state of the second wine shop was pathetic. So drinking in the rooms was out of the question. Nilu and Gyan found a bar in a hotel nearby and we made a beeline for it. Chilled beer was available along with complimentary snacks. Why don’t we get complimentary snacks in Delhi? They are not so pricey to cause a loss given the amount charged on the beer.

Rohit and Zaheer again left after a short while. The non-drinkers preferred to roam around the local market and we understood that. Its better for the drinkers too as the chakhna isn’t gobbled up by the non-drinkers. For dinner, we went to a nearby restaurant for chicken. The taste wasn’t that good but it wasn’t bad too. It seemed we were out of delicious territory now. Dread took care of us in that respect.

After dinner, four of us were interested in going to the seaside once again, Ashok, Zaheer, Varun and me. The sea here was violent. The tide had also risen. The breeze was ultra-cool. We could’ve slept there for the night, some visitors already were. Having cleansed our lungs from the sea breeze, we returned for the night. We would have to wake up very early next day to catch the sunrise. 

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19^th Nov 2014: Rameswaram to Munnar:

We were ready to leave by 5:15 AM. But as soon as we took off, it started to drizzle. Rain suits were again adorned. We had survived 11 days but the past couple of days had made up for all the rains that we avoided. It was so wet that Nilu was riding in his swimming shorts. The weather took some pity on us 30 kms into the Ride but it was back with even more fury half an hour later. This always happens. Whenever we are soaked during a Ride a dry spell would occur and this would almost dry us up. But as soon as that happens, the skies open up again and we get drenched again. Someone likes to play with us.

But this time we didn’t stop. We continued on in the rain. Actually, it was Rohit who chose to carry on and we followed. Had he stopped, all of the followers would also have stopped. The non-stop riding was beneficial to us and we completed 130 kms quickly to stop at the same dhaba that we had sat at earlier. The waiter was happy to see us return. But then he informed us that the entire chain had gone vegetarian. We were extremely lucky to have tasted their non-veg preparation on the very last day. Future travelers would be deprived of this place’s excellent preparation.

Nilu was as usual proud of his riding gear and began reciting the benefits of riding in shorts. We put on our wet boots again and continued the journey. From this point on, it was sunny. We had managed to avoid entering Madurai on the way to Rameswaram. But to reach Munnar, we had to cross through the center of the city. A series of turns had to be taken. During this course, we came across a shop laden with Rajnikant posters and arts. It was a spectacular sight. All through the turns we were guided by the locals in Hindi. It seems all the infamous notoriety is present in Chennai only.

We made a brief stop on the way to Theni for Nilu to buy a washer and tighten the Bullets’ chains. Zaheer pointed out several faults with the technique used by the mechanic. But the biggest laugh came when his assistant came to oil the chains, by hand.

The road onwards was again excellent. 

We were getting thirsty now and looking for a beer shop. Once came into view which was slightly off the road and we headed for it. The place turned out to be one of the best we had visited on this journey, rather on all journeys. The walls were makeshift made of tin sheets and the benches were made of cement. There was a platter of snacks set up in one corner that included pork, much to our two Assamese’s delight. Actually I should say Chinese delight. Beer was Max 11000, manufactured and sold in Tamil Nadu only. Our waiter was very courteous and always wore a smile.

We were an attraction within the place and were treated as special. The beer tasted well, snacks tasted delicious and our moods were high.  We spent more time at this place than usual. Rohit desired to have his coffee and so he took his brewer near the kitchen to ask for hot water. While the coffee brewed, he was surrounded by curious locals. They must have thought it to be a special alcoholic concoction. 

Continuing on, we reached the mountains. Every rider gets horny on seeing mountain curves. The beer added to this excitement and soon we were leaning. The view turned prettier as we climbed higher. 

We were back in Kerala but not dreading it this time. The weather turned cool and then cold. We stopped for hot maggi at the roadside. This stop also had to be made as Zaheer had got a puncture. The locals told him that the shop is 2 kms ahead. He filled up air using the foot pump and moved on while we finished the Maggi and coffee. Maggi is the official mountain food. It tastes so delicious in those surroundings.

At the puncture shop, the guy mended five punctures. It seemed that Zaheer had drawn the shortest straw and took the pain of everyone else.

We had planned to ride through Munnar and move to Kochi, but the surroundings stopped us. The 25 kms to Munnar were covered very slowly taking ample pics of the tea plantations. A river flowing through these plantations adds so much beauty to this place. We decided to stay for the night and took shelter in Hotel Eden Valley.

The place looked nice but the service was horrible. For starters, hot water was available only in the morning. The manager offered the bathroom in the neighboring guest house which was also owned by him. Our experience became bitter when he resisted giving towels, drinking water, glasses and soap in the rooms. He even refused to setup an extra bed saying that the double bed is wide enough. We’ll surely screw the reviews of that place on trip advisor.

We stepped out after freshening up to explore the local market. Gyan had a long list of spices to be purchased sent by his wife. The guys around him laughed heartily when they saw the length of the list. There’s something for everyone in our Rides. Now we knew why he had kept so much empty space in his luggage. He would be falling short there too. I went to the wine shop where there was a long queue. Every wine shop in Kerala has a long queue. One has to make a split second decision on the options as the crowd behind you gets pushy. I don’t understand why the ban on roadside bars was enforced. It has only increased demand and loss of excise to the government. I can only pray that such bans are kept away from the North. Amen.

For dinner we got biryani packed from Rapsy Restaurant. This place was highly recommended and was mentioned in Highway On My Plate too. 

Taking care of necessities, we returned to our rooms. The rum was ok. Well, nothing can satiate the taste buds of Old Monk loyalists. The food was also mediocre. Our experience was further soured when the caretaker bought two thin spare blankets for the extra persons.

Our Ride through Munnar had been great but the stay was horrible. 

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20^th Nov 2014: Munnar to Kochi:

Nilu and Gyan needed to reach Ernakulam railway station before noon as they had to parcel their bikes on that day only. As a result, our first stop would be very late. We touched the Ghats again and then faced the wrath of Dread.  Traffic was at its worst. Bus drivers were honking behind us on the curvy road. Cars didn’t leave enough space to overtake. It was all too familiar.

We came across beautiful waterfalls on the way but Dread wouldn’t let us stop and admire them. We had to carry on. We made a brief stop for breakfast where the dosa was very bad and then made straight for Kochi. It was easier said than done. We had to negotiate a lot of turns. Every signboard said differently. The locals guided differently. Although the distance from Munnar was only 125 kms, it took us close to 4 hours to reach outskirts of Kochi.

Our troubles were still not over. We reached Kochi in rush hour. Surprisingly, the main road here was much wider than the highway, and it had dividers too. WTF. But that was only for a short stretch. The road became narrower and narrower due to construction of the Metro and it became hot. Every turn we came across pointed towards Railway Station. On asking, we got confused with South/North Railway station.

In all this chaos, I got separated from the rest of the group as it always happens when riding through traffic. I reached the North Railway Station and saw that this was the Ernakulam City Station. Why the hell couldn’t they write the same on the signboards too? This is supposed to be the most literal state. Thankfully, Ashok was passing me GPS locations of the points they were crossing. In between, I also crossed the Kochi cricket stadium. That was a long roundabout. I then caught up with the others at the Ernakulam Junction, or South as the signboards called it.

While Gyan and Nilu went straight to the Parcel office, we looked around for a place to stay. Some of us stuck on getting an AC room. We looked at a couple and then decided on one. I should mention here that one of the auto drivers took us to a hotel. Nothing to mention about the room, but the skill of the auto driver in selling was noteworthy. He would treat us as special. The staff at the hotel didn’t and that turned us off.

Gyan and Nilu hurriedly dumped their luggage, cleaned up and made straight for the parcel office as it was closed earlier for lunch. The rest of us took it easy. Rohit was most interested in going out and exploring the city. He reasoned that we would have ample time in the morning for loading. On the other hand, I was still concerned about the loading as I had faced issues related to name mismatch between the registration and passenger. Zaheer had the same case as me. So we had to go to the parcel office and see the process and get our concerns resolved.

We observed the slowness of the process and decided that we would have to be here first thing in the morning before 10 am. We waited for Nilu and Gyan to complete their process. This took a very long time during which Rohit had a nap on his Bullet. By the time everything was done, it was almost dark. Rohit was a little cross that we had wasted so much time here. But being a gentleman, he never shows the anger and was still cheerful. Nilu and Gyan were now too tired to go out. So, the rest of us left without them.

The Fort Kochi area is known for its Portuguese architecture. We headed there on road. When we reached the point, Rohit was stopped as he was riding without helmet. He promptly paid Rs 100 fine. The amount spent was well utilized as the cop told us on the places we could visit in that area. He pointed to the church right next to us saying that this was the first church in India. Vasco deGama’s body was buried here. A couple of years later his son came and took the remains back. We were surprised to be standing behind such a heritage place and not even know it.

The next half hour was just roaming around experiencing the architecture until we reached the Ferry point. Rohit’s dream was about to be fulfilled as we bought tickets to cross over to Vypin at a measly price of Rs 3 per head and Rs 7 with Bullets. Waterways play an essential role in the daily life of this town. For us, it was just a joyride.

We hadn’t followed the correct procedure and just rode our Bullets on the ferry. The man in-charge came at us angrily saying that we hadn’t sought his permission before boarding. They have a system of loading vehicles by weight. So, our boarding before the designated time must have unbalanced the system. But then some of the locals remarked that he was a madman always scolding at everyone. Our guilt washed away and we enjoyed the short ride to Vypin. The breeze over the gentle sea softened our moods. It also made us thirsty.

Ashok and I went to pick up supplies for the night. Here again, we got involved in the extra-long queue and true to discipline, the gates shut at 9 pm. When we reached back to our rooms, Gyan and Nilu were nowhere to be seen. We joined them at a nearby 4-star hotel, Avenue Regent where they were sitting with a friend, Shyne. BoP was experiencing luxury for a change. The ambience and furnishings of the place were excellent. Shyne recommended the place next door, Ceylon Bakehouse. A variety of dishes were ordered and everything turned out to be excellent. We had been conserving our budget till now and these two places wrecked everything to pieces. We still didn’t know how much the Bullets’ parcel would cost.

Satisfied stomachs went to bed that night. The next day we would be starting on the return journey.