re: My Dream Bike Trip(Bang --> Madurai --> Rameshwaram --> Pondi --> Tiruvannamalai)

Travelogue Approved

re: My Dream Bike Trip(Bang --> Madurai --> Rameshwaram --> Pondi --> Tiruvannamalai)

Inviting teasers! Bring on the rest!

re: My Dream Bike Trip(Bang --> Madurai --> Rameshwaram --> Pondi --> Tiruvannamalai)

Nice one there Rohan! Bring on the rest! I'm curious to know about the Tiruvanamalai/Krishnagiri road condition, it was pathetic the last two time i rode that stretch!

Cheers & Ride Safe

re: My Dream Bike Trip(Bang --> Madurai --> Rameshwaram --> Pondi --> Tiruvannamalai)

its still ugly there

re: My Dream Bike Trip(Bang --> Madurai --> Rameshwaram --> Pondi --> Tiruvannamalai)

@The Monk... Thanks for Approval
sry for the delay

It was a dark and cold morning when I left Bangalore took some pic at the starting point



Day – 1
Morning I decided to reach Madurai and stay there and if time is still there after Madurai Temple visit I’ll go to Rameshwaram and stay there.
Journey started me and my bike glued together maintaining 80-85Kmph, I decided to drive till dawn without any break. Road were calm with no traffic it was just pure driving pleasure within no time rays of the Sun were sprouting from my left it was around 5:30AM, I stopped after 159Km near Dharmapuri
Stayed beside the highway to see the sun rise, it was beautiful.







Continued my ride; roads were excellent, weather was awesome and the surrounding were picturesque.
After Salem, divider on the roads were covered in pink flowering plants that was an amazing road at that point of time I was thinking this is just a start. :P





With some 2-3 break for tea/breakfast, watering earth , and petrol I reached Madurai around 12PM. Finding the Temple was not easy as people don’t know English or Hindi or any other language except Tamil, even using the words like Temple, Meenakshi, Mandir some people just shook their head oblivious to what I was asking.
I can already feel the hot environment in Madurai, it was humid and wind was hot there it was like an oven for bangaloreans, anyway found out a parking spot and went to visit the Temple.
Inside the temple no bag, no camera and no shoes are allowed, had to keep my luggage and Camera in security.
While my bag was going through the x-ray machine the lady officer that was checking was somewhat shocked to see the contents of my luggage and asked me to open it. It was that bungee cords hook and chargers (mobile, camera and one more phone only for music) that made it look suspicious she gave me a look I gave her one and we were cool.
It was hot, roads were like frying pan and people were walking barefooted; I can only imagine myself doing that, so I kept my socks on and went inside the Temple.
It was a huge Temple and minutes of reaching there I realized it’s their lunch time and they were closing the gates of the Temple, people were rushing here and there so I also followed one group and man that was the best move. Main queue gate was closed so that group went other side and opened one of the gate of the barricade (those steel pipes) and entered in to the queue that was already there and we had Darshan!! Within 5-10min after entering the Temple that was a record for me in any south Indian Temple. This was Meenakshi Temple one more was pending that was Shiva.
Followed same strategy there and within 15min Darshan was complete.

Roamed around the temple for about 40-50mins it was a beautiful Temple ceiling, walls all were embedded with sculptures one could stare them for a long time and realize how it was made, how many man hr or generation it took to build this magnificent structure.
I was feeling very sleepy thought of sleeping in the Temple but as they were closing I thought not here.
I went out and went to security to collect my things only to find out I was at the wrong Tower SHIT!!!.
Now I have to walk on the scorching road to get to the EAST tower from NORTH OR SOUTH dunno what tower it was I started walking and within minutes my feet were roasted!! There was also not a single plase of shed there so I kept walking as soon as I reached there, on the road there was a patch of water, I immediately pulled my socks out to stand on that water patch what a relief that was wooohhh.
Collected my things and decided to get the Hell out of Madurai as it was like Oven, winds were damn hot there.





Left from that place around 2:40PM and continued my journey to Rameshwaram. I was feeling very sleepy so thought of taking rest beside the road.
Search started for the perfect place after missing couple of places found out one, parked my bike sat reverse on the bike head down and took a nap for about 30-40 min. Woke up around , filled with new energy took some pics and continued.



By this time weather was not that hot around 5:30 stopped for coffee break. There were posters; hoarding of this coffee maker kdfc so thought of trying it, was an average filter coffee.



Complete 600 Km



I was riding and could feel the cold wind and the ocean I was enjoying the ride listening to songs singing and then suddenly I SAW THE BEACH/OCEAN I was like WTF!!! Turned my bike and stopped 3-4 meters before the beach. And man that was the most beautiful beach that I saw till date.
Clicked few snaps. Without realizing that just a km away Pamban bridge is there I was taking pic of beach and then when my eyes stumbled on that bridge I knew that my destination is achieved and had that awesome feeling. Reached the Bridge around 6:30PM and after 641KM.



First view of the Indian Ocean









Luckily Train was passing there were cheering/shout from either side















Construction work



I was moving aimlessly on that bridge appreciating the beauty till the Indian Ocean went dark.



Reached Rameshwaram temples roamed around for a bit to get familiarize with the place and started searching for the place to stay, got one for 500rs. It was a newly built lodge so room/bathroom was nice and clean took bath and went out to see the temple and eat food. Came back to the hotel and I was drop dead on the bed. Day 1 ends with 662Km on my Trip meter.





Rameshwaram Temple




Day -2 next post, more awesome pics to come.. \m/

re: My Dream Bike Trip(Bang --> Madurai --> Rameshwaram --> Pondi --> Tiruvannamalai)

Wonderful narration, beautiful captures too.
Keep the story comin'

re: My Dream Bike Trip(Bang --> Madurai --> Rameshwaram --> Pondi --> Tiruvannamalai)

Bring on the rest of the trip log, quick !!
Waiting eagerly as I am planning to do the exact route around november.

re: My Dream Bike Trip(Bang --> Madurai --> Rameshwaram --> Pondi --> Tiruvannamalai)


+1 to that , I am doing the same route from chennai on October.

re: My Dream Bike Trip(Bang --> Madurai --> Rameshwaram --> Pondi --> Tiruvannamalai)

DAY -2

Sunrise was important for me. Was awake around 5:00am, did my morning chores, packed my things loaded on my bike and was ready to go.
Started around 5:40am. Roads were awesome till Dhanushkodi with some patches of sand on the road and after Dhanushkodi there was NO roads .





It was like I was living the dream of mine; sea was on either side, not a single soul on the road and perfect weather. Reached at the end of tarmac road around 6am (20mins).
I can see some abandoned huts where the road ends and after that there were tyre markings on the sand. There was no one to ask for an alternate route so I followed tyre markings till end.
For some half Km I was cruising through sand and learned NEVER TO STOP YOU BIKE when you are passing through sand. After that there was vast plain barren ground like salt lake but instead of salt it was Mud n Sand.
Parked the bike and started clicking pics.









Sun was out but clouds blocked it. After photo session I went on to bike only to realize that 1/2^th of the side stand went inside the ground. 5-10 mins more and it would be very difficult for me to bring it back to normal. When I pushed my bike to normal from that hole black water and mud came out.



I was driving slow enjoying everything on that plain surface maneuvering those huge patches of mud, Quicksand, patches of water; drove around 40 mins and reached the last leg to reach the end point.















At Peace



These things were stuck in chain and sprocket during Sand Cruising.

re: My Dream Bike Trip(Bang --> Madurai --> Rameshwaram --> Pondi --> Tiruvannamalai)

5 RE's group(not the one in lungi's )



some unnamed snack





Going back was easy , explored one of the beaches and went straight out of Dhanushkodi.













My butt was not giving me peace so I was stopping for every 60-70km for butt break and thanks to those breaks I explored 2 beaches and 1 light house beside the highway and revised my target.

Butt Break 1



Butt Break 2





Butt Break 3(Light house looks small but it's big)





Butt Break 5
In Another butt break, I was at the shop for some refreshments (lime juice, lays) had a chat with the owner and he told there is some big church in Velankanni that I should surely visit and people from far places come there to visit. I was not interested to visit that church as it was already 5pm and I was around 200km away from Pondi.













Dancing lights



Came back and went to bed around 9pm. Day 2 ends with 993Km on my Trip meter.

more to come stay tuned \m/...

re: My Dream Bike Trip(Bang --> Madurai --> Rameshwaram --> Pondi --> Tiruvannamalai)

Nice log so far. Bring on more.

Re: My Dream Bike Trip(Bang --> Madurai --> Rameshwaram --> Pondi --> Tiruvannamalai)

Wow, wonderful monuments, beaches, roads. Do you have More Pictures?

Re: My Dream Bike Trip(Bang --> Madurai --> Rameshwaram --> Pondi --> Tiruvannamalai)

yes man. I was busy so couldn't update.

----consecutive posts auto-merged-----

DAY -3

Before going to bed on day 2 I had two options to visit Pondi/Auroville and stay there or if there is no place of interest in Pondi then straight to Bangalore.

Woke around 6am did my morning chores and was on road by 6:30am.
I was on the road thinking for a place to have a breakfast and after driving for around 2hr found this a place had Tea, Biscuit and pakodas.





I was in no hurry, cruising around 70-80Kmph passed Nagapattinam, Karakial those cities has many big Oil and Chemical industry. Roads were awesome and around 9:30am I reached Chidambaram city famous for Chidambaram temple.
This Temple you can see from the main road it was looking good, I thought of not visiting there as it will be crowed and will eat up my 2hrs but then again fight started between heart (visit) and brain (not to visit) finally heart won, by the time I had left that Temple 2km behind; took a u turn, parked the bike and went inside the Temple.
There was no crowded as I expected, this I concluded during the fight as it was Monday people will go to work not to Temple. This was the first time that I have seen any South Indian Temple not crowded.
Spent around 40min (10:30am) inside and continued the journey.

Chidambaram temple






Temple Campus








On way to Pondi after Chidambaram city, villages started there were endless rice paddy fields, trees on both sides, roads were smooth and curvy I was enjoying the ride then came the limits of Pondi City.





Took this pic where city limit starts




Then moved ahead and thought now beach will be 5-6Km away but I went on driving till 35Km before the actual city started(around 12Pm reached Pondi city).
Vehicles were crawling on the road and weather was also hot inside the city.
I asked for direction of the beach reached and started searching for a place to have lunch.
Found one Restaurant just beside the road where on the other side beach is there.
Ordered noodles and juice, order came late but the food was good full of colors.
Parked the bike in front of that restaurant and went to see the Ocean. Nothing much was happening except sea water hitting the stones with somewhat loud blow. Stood there for about 10-15mins got bored. Thought of casually riding the on the road beside the beach and look for French architecture.





Found one park while riding, parked the bike and went inside the park to plan my next action.

Park


I had bought 4 maps of different states (KA, TN, KL and AP) from Madurai to help me on the route(as I don't own a smart phone).

One of the maps



Museum




Way to MatriMandir

Water Vortex simply awesome






150yrs. old banyan tree the reason why Auroville at this place.






Golden Sphere(Matrimandir)








Mango Cake and Lime juice

Re: My Dream Bike Trip(Bang --> Madurai --> Rameshwaram --> Pondi --> Tiruvannamalai)

While returning spotted a small building and bakery with (5-6 shops) and thought of having something order Mango Cake and Lime juice. Both were good. I totally lost the track of time and when I was leaving that bakery, checked time it was 3:30pm. It was then decided today’s stay in Pondi.



Bakery


While leaving the bakery I spotted guest house enquiry board it was on first floor above the bakery.
I did not notice any guest house while entering in to the city so thought this could be a good place to stay but by the looks of it my wallet size reduced. Anyway I went there for knowing the prices. Went inside there was a man there sitting and having his cup of coffee I asked him are you in charge here to which he politely replied no sir you are in charge here, we both were smiling and then I again asked him “Are you the protector of this realm”, to which he smiled and said yes.
He told me to sit. I started my bike trip thing and asked him are there any places to stay in Auroville. He said there are many we have forest guest house, hotel, tent etc…tell me what kind of place are you looking for; my eyes were wide open as I have not seen any board or sign for hotels there.
I said just a simple cheap place to spend the night and I am alone. He said as you are alone it would be costly here (didn’t asked him how much) he then suggested a place called Youth Camp 1-1.5km from this place. I said yes and asked him about the price, he called that place and negotiated from my side and a price was decided to 450rs which I comfortably agreed. He then showed me the location of the place on the Auroville map.
I thanked him and left; finding that site was not an easy task as there are no sign boards or building names are visible. Roaming for about HalfnHr spotted a very small sign board of YouthCamp pointing towards the jungle I followed and reached the site.
It was a beautiful place I was not expecting anything like this and was surprised. It was like a forest guest. Knocked on the reception on guy came out I said I was looking for a room he said you are the one who called I said yes. Then he told me the price that was decided I said ok and followed him to the room he opened the door and asked me to check the room without looking (as I was busy seeing the surroundings) I said yes he handed over the key and left.
Now when I opened the room I was again surprised to see what a beautiful room is was, nice and clean with study table and chair and a cupboard. Bathroom was nice and very clean.

Road to Youth Camp






My Room





It was around 5pm, went out walking to see life in Auroville. Roamed around for an Hr and came back to plan for next day. My Skin was literally roasted; it was burning as I didn’t put on my jacket for 3-4 hrs while driving from Rameshwaram to Pondi. I went out to buy some Tomato.
I stepped out of room and it was pitch dark outside, I didn’t realize in the morning that there are no street lights in Auroville.
I brought some tomato and took my bike for spin. I was thrilled while driving; in between I was switching off the headlamp and driving for couple of sec. It was pitch black there; I stopped the bike there for a sec to enjoy the darkness wherever I looked it was dark. I don’t know how some people were walking, cycling without torch and road were literally going through the jungle. Amazing experience.

At night while returning


Went to bed after planning for the next day. Day 3 ends with 1210Km on my Trip meter.

Last Day TLog yet to come.\m/