@^^

that is it!!!

cool !

Awesome log, fab pics too. u should seriously blog more dude.

Thanks.. posting whatever I clicked, and I didnt click much I know.

Good you found it.. the "Leh Diaries" got some serious competition now

Thanks... i'll try!

Day 8: Kolkata – Varanasi 700kms / 12hrs

Exited Kolkata via the same route I had entered. I was concerned about the cold and fog in the morning, but there was none at 7am. Now I was on NH2 towards Varanasi. Saw Durgapur steel plant on the way.

Chain was f**cked up and the last I lubricated and adjusted it was in Bangalore! Finding a bike mechanic on the highway was not easy. Asked the boy while re-fueling and he said I should find one in the next town, and the last town in WB on the highway, Panagarh. As soon as I entered, saw Castrol Bike Zone. Without any second thoughts stopped there. The mechanic had not arrived yet, so the owner called him up. He would be here in 5-10mins. Fine I said, worth waiting. My chain was now adjusted at the last possible setting on a R15, no.7 I guess. He lubricated the chain with my Motul cans, and I was happy to go.

Next came Jharkhand and Bihar, beautiful roads, but scared to stop for a meal. All dhabas looked for truck-walas only, and the good ones came on the other side of the road. My rule - I never take a U-turn, be it for fuel or food!

Finally stopped at a dhaba in Bagodar (JK), ordered subzi-roti, relaxed, and back on the road. Some pics:





The "jugaad"...



Now that's real "theatre"!









Took the right just after the Varanasi toll, towards the ghats. Landed at some ghat, hotel hunting starts. No room here, expensive room there, far from the ghat, back to expensive, room gone, stranded, no room becomes yes room. Yes room for Rs.250!






I didnt wanted to miss the Aarti (starts 6:30pm), which had already started at the ghat in front of hotel. I could hear the chimes. The main ghat was good 20mins walk away from my hotel. There was a chance that I would miss the main Aarti as I started late, witnessed the Aarti at the neighbourhood ghat, so that atleast I get to see it. And started the walk, crossing many other ghats, till the main ghat.











Each ghat has its own theme. Deserted. Gobar. Restaurants. Boating. Last rites. Sadhu speech. Nothing.

Aarti at the main ghat was over by the time I reached there. Despite the recent bomb-blast, there was enough crowd, specially foreign tourists.























The ghat where multiple last rites were being performed...









The walk through the ghat is scary if you are alone. It's not difficult to rob anyone over there. Deserted, disputed, disrespected. People were enjoying alcohol in the darknesses of the ghats. Cows were getting ready for their sleep, after carpeting the ghat with their dung. People were having their holy bath in the same water. Which made me wonder (after crossing Agra), why hasn't the UP Govt. done the same for Benaras? It is as popular, or maybe more, than Agra, gets more foreign tourists, and few become temporary citizens too. Maybe they won't if there was no gober!

I concluded the day with a yummy pizza at a restaurant near my hotel. Why pizza in Benaras? Because I love pizza, and this one was wood-fired, and delicious.




Target for next day was Delhi (home town), 800kms, lets see what happens as the North India cold numbs me!

Now thats some "Desi tadka" !

Loved the pics, keep 'em comin

Loved this pic!

The aarti at Dashashwmedh Ghat is truly enchanting. Takes you to another world! I being more of a practical person, stood there for complete one hour, mesmerized by the colorful blend of spirituality and modernization!

VNS-Del to me was around 891km. That was Janak Puri to Shivala Ghat with some bit of going back and forth.

I too love that pic!

You must have done some serious back and forth! Beacuse I stopped at Subroto Park. Even if I would have carried on till J.puri (used to stay in Hari Nagar before), that would be max 10kms more.

Awesome feat man...Waiting for the rest of the log.


Thanks Man,I am honoured.Nobody realized and had a clue about the numbers of rides i do :P.Thanks for bringing out in the front of whole faternity :P ..Now i dont have to explain each and every individual.



MG Dada..Not even close to him..He is one crazy rider with some great riding skills.He did that deserted Tangste to Khalsar route solo..!!
He is The Great Khali among Bikers..Not Khaali like me..Bwahahaha ..Just kidding mate.

Cheers
Biru

Biru in making.....

Jokes apart.... amazing ride

Thanks both!

abe ye khali-vali zaada ho gaya... bas kar!

Thanks!

Keep them coming dude. I'm loving it.

OOPS!! Correction here. The total distance for me was 819km...my bad

Awesome trip man

Loved the pics of varanasi

will update soon.........

Thanks!

Day 9: Varanasi – Kanpur? – Agra? – Delhi! 810kms / 12hrs

The ?'s were the theme of the day, and overcoming them the highlight!

It was not until I left my hotel at 6:30 in the morning, made my way through Benaras Hindu University, and back on the highway, I realized I'm now in North of India! I couldn't see 5mts ahead of me and it was freaking cold. Target of the day was Delhi, 800kms.

After riding some 10kms at 30-40km/hr my hands got numb. Stop, rub, go. This happened for another 10x4, 40kms. Opening the visor gave more visibility, but the cold, plus the droplets of water hitting my eye, formed on the open visor by the mist didn't let me keep it open. Stopped at a chai shop to find out I had wetted my jeans, not beacuse I pee-ed, but because of the mist. The hot chai went in me like water at room temperature. I was shivering and there was no relief. People there said that sun is acting pricey now-a-days and doesn't show up before 9am. Fine, but atlest show-up!

And I started again like a tortoise. And stopped soon like the tired rabbit. That was it. Parked straight into a dhaba after doing some 50 odd kms in 2hrs! I will wait for you to come out, dear Sun.

Warmed by hands over the tandoor, and chai was served to me. I was shivering all throughout, so fire made out of dry cow-dung and wood was lit for me. That was home for me! For the next 2hrs I was sitting there, having chai, chatting, reading newspaper, and had breakfast too.

It was already 11am, and I had covered just 50kms, Delhi still 750kms away. Sun was generous enough to show some face. I decided to move ahead, the target destination now set to Kanpur, if Kanpur comes on time, then Agra. I was not even thinking Delhi. A town came after 5kms and I stopped at a chemist shop to buy surgical gloves. Helped, but not much.

Crossing Kanpur was a breeze. A 10+kms long flyover, with no exits, bypasses the whole city. One can see the busy city below. City traffic began to build up before Agra, Fatehpur I guess. Agra came around 7pm. I wanted to stop, but I didnt wanted to stop. Home bed was just 200kms away now. Those were like the never-ending 200kms. Kept following some cars, with the visor open. Mathura passed.

The kilemetres showing on the signboards were now acting lazy. I was counting the kms left to stay alert. Then some toll came, cops stopped me for alcohol check. I was happy to get down from the bike. Before he could ask me anything, I started stretching and doing sit-ups. Then I replied "sirji Banares se aa raha hun, daaru peene ka time nahi mila, jaaon ab?". Few more sit-ups and airkicks and I was going again.

Fcuk, Delhi was not coming only! Then came Faridabad city, bad roads, traffic, malls, red lights, etc. Another toll, jammed. First sight of the Metro rail, Jasola, and then I finally hit ring-road. Now I felt home! From here I was familiar with the route to anywhere in Delhi, but I just wanted to go till Dhaula Kuan, another 10kms. My place (Dwarka) was another 5kms, but I stopped at my cousin's place. Didnt even wanted to do that much "extra" now. My sister cooked meal for me. Had bath, and it was home bed, finally.

It was Monday (3rd Jan 2011), and I was already in Delhi. Happy because I had to reach Mumbai by Sunday (9th), so had few days to relax at home. Got my bike's oil changed next day, chain was irrepairable now. City was freezing, riding a bike was a torture here. I was not touching the bike till I leave the city now. When, I had not decided yet!


Some tourist-type pics from saddi Dilli...

what kind-of number is this??


..and what kind-of smart-a$$ is he?



















Day 10: Delhi


Day 11: Delhi