Hi friends,
I am new to writing travelogue and just joined xbhp, so excuse me for any mistakes. I am a budding doctor currently residing in Bangalore. I graduated couple of years ago from Manipal and worked for an year or so and now still studying for pg entrance exam.
There was nothing exciting to look forward to. This is when the thought started to arise. If I am not enjoying what I am doing then I should do what I really enjoy, as simple as that. Yes riding motorcycle for long distances did make me happy during my Manipal days but never satisfied my hunger to ride. Because I did numerous trips between Manipal and shimoga(home town) through Agumbe which is around 160km and some short trips to beaches near udupi but I always wanted to ride long distances.
I was going through many travelogues about solo ride which kept me motivated and gave me some valuable information. So I made my mind that if not now then never I will get this opertunity.
Now the next thing on my mind was where to go. There are so many destinations around bangalore and our country being such a huge one I was confused with so many options. Then I thought there should be some purpose behind this trip so that it refreshes my mind . There is nothing refreshing more than revisiting your childhood home, old school and getting back that charm and energy.
My father being government servant and transferred frequently I had studied in quite a number of schools all over Karnataka mostly around western ghats near dams where hydroelectric power generation takes place.
So my root map should cover Hubli, Kadra(near karwar), Gerusoppa (near Honnavar), kargal (near jog falls), Shimoga.
So the plan was
Day 1: Bangalore-hubli-panjim(Goa)= around 600km
Day 2: Goa-Karwar-Honnavar-Jog falls= around 260km
Day 3: Jog falls-Shimoga-Bangalore= around 400km

First of all sorry for the delay. Finally updating my story.

The day before my journey, lot of things were going on in my mind,
Can I do it?, Am I crazy?, What to do in case of breakdown?, Where to stay?, What things should I carry?, etc.
Finally decided if there is such a strong will, then definitely there should be a way. Going through others travelogue motivated and kept me in positive state of mind. After all the planning, research, doubts, fear, excitement, I was ready to kick start my journey.

DAY 1: Go Goa gone (12th August 2016)

I was up and ready by 4am. It felt special to be awake to start my dream ride when most of them were still dreaming in their sleep.

All set to go


. The moment I left my house it felt like I am already on highway because it is very unusual even to imagine Bangalore roads without traffic, there was no honking, no waiting at traffic signals, no dust. In no time I was on actual highway. I was cruising around 70km/hr trying to imagine what I am going to do in these three days. There were very few vehicles on the NH4 most of them were trucks, seeing this started to twist the throttle and my RTR started to fly crossing 100km/hr mark on speedometer.

Just before leaving Bangalore.


It was 5:30am I started to feel sleepy, may be due to lack of sleep or due to straight monotonous road. But soon after few minutes near Chitradurga, sky started to brighten up, sun rays started to touch the tarmac. I stopped to capture the beautiful sunrise from my mobile camera. The sun and its warmth made my sleep go away. It was 7:30am when I was nearing Davanagere, when I saw SSIMS Hospital just beside the highway I remembered one of my friends from Manipal doing his pg there. Thought will give him a surprise and called him, initially he did not believe that I was in Davanagere but the fact that it was early morning forced him to believe. I went to his room, completed my morning duties, later went to town and ate some Davanagere special benne dose, did some shopping and it was 12pm when I said good bye to my friend.

Somewhere after Tumkur


Just before sunrise


Sunrise on the way


Windmill near Chitradurga


Driving pajero in Davanagere


Good bye selfie with friend


I was back on the road and temperature started rising every mile. There was strong wind blowing across highway pushing my helmet sideways, which made me to slow down a bit. But weather god came to my rescue near Haveri, it started to drizzle and I did not pull out my rain coat as it felt like passing shower and let my body to cool down. I reached Hubli by 2:30pm. This is the town where my parents started their journey together and my elder sister was born here. I used to here lot of stories from them about their early days here. Even they had shown me the house, which is near bus stand when we were in Hubli last time. I wanted to visit that house and neighborhood but it was late because I had spent too much time already in Davangere and it will too late to reach Panjim before dark.

On Hubli-Dharwad bypass.


After Hubli the highway becomes two way and the traffic in also quite heavy in between Hubli-Dharwad bypass. I stopped before Dharwad and checked GPS to make sure I do not miss the diversion towards Panjim. I left NH4 near Dharwad and took diversion towards Panjim. It was 3pm by then, according to GPS I should be in Panjim by 6:30pm. I hoped that If I reach Panjim before 7pm, I can watch sunset relaxing in some beautiful beach. Now the road started to become even narrow but was in very good condition. But other difference which I noticed after exiting NH4 was that, here I could see people walking beside road, and some villages, livestock, etc. The landscape is green with mountains and I could make out the cultural difference also. Slowly the farmland started to transform into thick forest. When I saw a petrol bunk, I glanced fuel indicator which was still showing 30%, but I usually refill when the petrol reaches reserve. According to my calculation the bike should be able to reach Goa from Bangalore with a full tank. Now it started raining again, but this time I had to go under my rain coat. It became really dark due to thick forest and rain. And here the unexpected thing happened the fuel level was dropping and was nearing reserve. I did not wanted to take chance this time so stopped in a village and asked the locals for next petrol bunk, they told it is only after reaching Goa but Goa was still 130km away. I thought I may reach Goa with some fuel saving tactics. I was riding with minimum accelerating at lower rpm. But after few minutes the bike started jerking and I was forced to use reserve petrol. The road was narrow, it was also hilly terrain and the fact that it was also raining made me to change gears frequently. The thought of ending up with no petrol in middle of the jungle started to appear. And I stopped in the next village and looked if I can get any loose petrol but I was unlucky there. But one of the shopkeepers told me that I may get it in a village which is 50 km away. I hoped for the best and continued my journey. After reaching that village i stopped near a cycle shop and I was lucky this time, even though he charged 90rs per liter I thanked him and left. From there on all the fear gradually disappeared and the ghat section started. Initially it was fun going past the hairpin curves but slowly the road became almost invisible due to heavy fog. I started following a truck, even though it was moving at significantly low speed. Finally after the ghat there was a petrol bunk. I full tanked my bike and was in Goa now. The beautiful sun welcomed me, it was 6:30pm but felt like noon. It was like seeing sunrise twice in a day. I road was good but there was some bad stretches and I had stooped few times to make sure I was going toward Panjim. And finally when I reached Panjim it was 7:30pm. I got down from bike and removed my backpack, suddenly I noticed that my left shoulder was sore I could hardly move it, it was due to my backpack. I was too tired by now but one big task was still left for the day. Now I had to find a decent hotel to stay. I Went around the bus stand looking for lodges, but was unlucky. I called One of my cousins in Bangalore to ask him whether he knows any lodges in Panjim he told me to wait and after few minutes he told there is an offer from OYO rooms and immediately told him to book one. The hotel name was Sona, near old Patto bridge near Panjim church, the price was unbelievable just rs300. I entered the hotel, it was under renovation .There was no parking. But the room was decent with ac and kitchen attached. I realized now that I did not had any food after breakfast. But I was not hungry, just wanted to lie down. Any way ordered Egg biryani which was INR-200, meanwhile I had an hot water bath. The quantity of the biryani was too much for one person, ate as much as I could watching TV. Went to bed i don’t know when I closed my eyes.

After entering western ghats near Anmod.


A view of the majestic Western Ghats


After entering Goa.


On more pic before entering panjim.


OYO room in Panjim.


DAY 2: Going Back to School. (13th Aug 2016)

I woke up at 7am. It was raining outside the window. My body felt a lot better after some much needed sleep and I was ready to go by 8am. Visited some church near by and finally it was time to visit some beaches which Goa is famous for. Went to Miramar beach which is very close to Panjim. Only few tourists were present and some locals walking their dogs, some just chilling out enjoying the beautiful morning and some kids playing around. After spending some time there I headed toward Dona paula beach which is also very close to Panjim. The view point was breathtaking.

Mandovi river Panaji


Bridge across Mandovi.


Miramar beach Goa



Dona paula


View point



I was on my way to Karwar. Stopped for breakfast in Margao. I wanted to visit any one of the good beaches and say good bye to Goa. Palolem beach it was, as it is on the way to karwar. The road was really good. I was able to cover good distance in less time. I stopped after an hour or so because I could not spot any diversion towards Palolem beach, but unfortunately I had already travelled past Palolem. I searched if there is any other beach on my way, I saw another beached called Polem which is 20 km before karwar. It was 11.30 when I reached Polem beach, it was deserted and did not know what to do and was back on the road again after few kilometers entered Karnataka. I reached karwar and went straight towards kadra.

Polem beach



Kadra is situated 40 km away from Karwar. The dam is constructed across kali river for hydroelectric power generation. The road is beautiful very less vehicles. I was born here but I have no memory of this place at all because I was just a toddler then. I was very curious to visit this place as my parents used to tell many things about this place and I have seen some photos as well. This is my first ever visit. I entered the colony and I have no clue where my old quarters is. But according to my parents description I was able to locate it which is just behind the school. Till now I had just imagined how the place may look but now I realize it is almost close to my imagination. It was almost like going back to my previous life. I just roamed around tried if i can remember anything but could not. My sister used to go to school here and I used to just pickup her school bag and pose for the camera. My first ride was an tricycle which I used to ride around here. After exploring everything went back to karwar . it was lunch time now, went to an Udupi hotel, had a good meal and was on my way towards Honnavar. The nh17 is under some repair work. The road is not so good with only few stretches of good tarmac. Reached Honnavar around 4pm. And straight away visited my school there. I did my primary schooling there. Used to travel 60km daily from place called Gerusoppa in school bus to reach here. This is when I learned driving sitting close to the bus driver just observing with great interest. My original plan was to go to Murudeshwar and call it a day. But as I could not find a beach in Goa I saved some time. It was still 4:30 and it was the time of the day when I used to go back to Gerusoppa from school. I thought it is worth to recreate that experience once again and started riding towards Gerusoppa which is 30km from Honnavar. This is the road I used to know inch by inch during my childhood because I travelled daily for 5 years but now I don’t even remember the name of the villages in this road. Now as I started to go past each village all my memories started coming back. It was unique feeling I can not explain. On my way saw an newly built hanging bridge in Sharavathi river backwaters. And finally reached Gerusoppa by 5:15pm. The colony is now almost empty with very less population. Our quarters was in very bad condition, seems like no one lived there after we left. Here I learned riding bicycle. I remember in those days there used to be only one or two government buses , there was no telephone, not many shops ,no hotels, had to travel 60km daily for school. I am talking about just 17-18 years back. But despite af all this we used to be happy . That is why childhood is the best part of life.

School one Kadra


Kadra house


Karwar beach


School two, Honnavar


Hanging bridge near Gerusoppa


Sharavathi River


Hanging bridge


Play park, Gerusoppa


Abandoned house, Gerusoppa


The road I learned riding bicycle


My first crash on bicycle due to failed cornering


School three, Gerusoppa


It was now time to visit world famous jog falls before it gets dark. There is 30km ghat section which is similar to Anmod ghat near goa only thing is I am ascending now from sea level. The road was ok not bad. I reached jog falls and it was 6:30 pm. It started to rain now. There were many tourists because of monsoons. And falls was in its full glory. It was getting dark and I went to my next childhood town which is just 5km away from this place. Its kargal, here I did my higher primary and high school. And when I went to see my house there I was in for a surprise, because there was no clue of my house. It was demolished. But another one was in still good condition and someone was still living. I just stopped and clicked some photos of my schools and went towards Sagar which is 30 km from here.

Gerusoppa ghat section


Jog falls in its full glory


Once upon a time, there was an house here and i used to live.


School four, Kargal


School five, Kargal


One more house in Kargal


I played lot of cricket here


Sharavathi reservoir




Last pic of day 2 on the way to sagar


When I was near Sagar it started raining very badly and I thought will call it a day there. But to my bad luck there was no rooms available may be due to marriages in the town. So with no options started riding towards Shimoga. It was dark, raining very badly but the road was in good condition. I was almost going blind due to opposite vehicle headlight, no one bothered to dim and dip. I even tried riding without visor but the insects used to hit my face. I was riding at 30-40km/hr. it took almost two and half hours to cover 70km. it was 10pm when I reached Shimoga .I took some lodge .There was almost 1cm water inside my shoes. I had my dinner and went to bed.

Day 3: Towards the end. (14th Aug 2016)

I usually go to Shimoga very frequently so I had nothing new to explore. I did my 10^th and PUC in Shimoga . I just visited my school and colleges here just to make sure I visited all my school in this trip. Had breakfast and started by journey towards Bangalore. I took a break in Tumkur for lunch and it was 2.30pm when I reached my home in Bangalore.

School six, Shimoga


School seven!


Tunga river bridge


Near Arsikere


Finally reached Bangalore


Done and dusted