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The last ride in Dec/Jan 2010 was Rajasthan and Satyen had joined me to Rajasthan, i had seen his bike perform better than an RTR 160, but his is an RTR 160, well that's what the sticker say's, so i choose to ride his bike for this trip to know more about the bike and well also in search for some authentic french food.
The initial plan was for me to ride from Mumbai - Bangalore - Chennai - Pondicherry - Bangalore - Mumbai, there was a slight change though!
While speaking to Satyen, i got to know that his bike is in Bangalore at Joel's who is preparing Satyen's bike for a Leh trip this May 2010, so i took a Volvo to Bangalore instead and rode from there on.
The D - Day:
23 April 2010:
I had a Volvo to catch at 3:00 pm from Sion in Mumbai and i live in the outskirts of Mumbai close to about 25 kms away from where the bus leaves, i was in a hurry and i managed to book a Cab in the last minute with some help from my sister and Shruti, they managed the packing, well a huge backpack with at least 7 t-shirts, 2 Jeans, 10 undergarments, 7 pairs of socks, 10 handkerchief, toiletries including my shaving set, deo, ...........shit i never knew that i had so many things and i never carried so many items in any of my long trip's and this was only for a week.
Out of sheer eagerness they packed everything from my cupboard to my backpack. All set and here i go in a cab to reach there at sharp 3:00 pm, but the bus arrives only at 3:45 pm and it was scheduled to reach Bangalore at 9:00 am as per the website, but the driver tells me 11:00 am is what it would take to reach Bangalore, all excited i found my seat and damn my leg..I think being 6'feet is a crime or they should have informed that the seats are not suitable for people who are 6'feet and weigh over 80 kgs.
Uncomfortable seating ruined my journey and i had to bear it for 20 hrs straight, some torture that even Mr. Kasab would not have borne for the 26/11.
24 April 2010
Eventful or Uneventful, however i put across i made it through 20 hrs and finally in Bangalore
This was my first experience in the Volvo and although i am amazed by the power, suspension & swiftly going at 110kmph, the seats are not comfortable for a huge guy like me, and we are talking about 20 hrs of uncomfortable seating position. They probably need to give extra leg room and reduce the number of seats, charge a bit more for better service, i think great potential for millions of people like me who want to have a joy ride.
So in Bangalore , the main purpose to visit Bangalore was to meet my friends Banerjee and Ramkumar, both were here in Mumbai for a long time, apparently now settled in Bangalore, Ram had got married in Nov last year and Banerjee became a father in Dec, and i couldn't visit them due to bad work-life planning.
24th and 25th was spent with them and their family, we did visit Legends of Rock (its a small Pub), drank and chilled out...
26 April 2010
I collected the bike from Joel on Monday at noon and by 2 the journey began, it was hot but the weather in Bangalore is something way better than what we have in Mumbai (less humid) and hence it was nice to be in the sun all i knew that i had to reach Pondicherry as fast as i can.
So the route decided
I had booked Ginger Pondicherry for my stay, the reason being low cost no frill accommodation. Ginger Hotels
The ride from Bangalore to Pondicherry was on a single lane state highway and it had to be fast due to lack of time, i did not want to reach late as i hate riding in the dark.
Saddle Bags strapped on Backpack and no knee guards was what i was with...i was very polite with the bike in the beginning as Satyen had told me that the bike is done up at 200 cc with k&n and a free flow exhaust system and some more detailing that i think only Joel can explain...(all i know is that it could eat up a P220 cc aka fastest Indian for breakfast).
I had a few breaks to reach the destination but it was all just for water, so i did not stop for any reason as such i was in Pondicherry at 6:00 pm and it was good to see the distance covered so fast. I clocked a high speed of 111 kmph on the state roads and it was not bad a beginning. i checked into the hotel and rested my butt for a while, only to realize that i missed the sun-set and now the only thing left to do is eat and probably drink.
Pondicherry: is known for the french colonial rule and a lot of french influence in their building structure (architecture) ,food culture, but it's lesser known for their Pizza's....they say that you get better Italian Pizza's in Pondicherry than what you get in Italy and with some research i headed out in search for some good cuisine.
After some search around and with no help i was not able to get any good Pizza joint but i found a restaurant on the Pondicherry beach stretch known as Le Club, which is the oldest french restaurant in the city which serves some good steak and there was I happy with a glass of beer in hand and some juicy buffalo tender meat. I happened to speak to the manager at the restaurant and he was happy to help me in choosing the best food in the restaurant, so post the steak, it was lobster for me, it is definitely messy but hell i care, there was some meat behind those tough shells. The moon shining brightly over the sea, beautiful silence that is shunned with only the sound of waves. All in all a pleasant day/evening. Both my thirst and appetite was satisfied, i headed back to the hotel and checked with the travel desk about Auroville (Auroville, a universal city in the making)
Le club by evening
French architecture
Sky lit with moon light
End of day 1 in Pondicherry.
27 April 2010
It is very hot in Pondicherry with the sun hitting hard at 45 Degree Celsius and humidity draining you completely, i tried going out at 10:00 am for a cup of coffee but it was so hot outside, i came back to my hotel and made myself tea and slept again...now the reason why i did not do anything was because it was declared "All India Baand" that day and i guess it was taken a rather too seriously in Pondicherry, no petrol pumps were open, no public transportation, all places that could be visited was shut and there was nothing to do...what a waste of a day!!!!
Later on in the evening i did visit the beach again and visited a church back there and Governors Bungalow.
Church
Church
Church
Statue of Mahatma Gandhi
Statue of Mahatma Gandhi
First Governor of Pondicherry
Statue and a Library in memory of Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar
A big restaurant that was lit in Blue Neon caught my attention while on the beach in Pondicherry and i got a bit tempted to sit and have a couple of drinks there and also check on the food that you get the best in there, so with a glass of "Teachers" i asked the waiter and the manager about the Pondicherry special available in there, all that came out were fish, so i got myself Fish to gorge on..i presumed that my taste buds will get some elevation but disappointed, i guess its true to have no expectations to enjoy life...the more the expectations the more you get disappointed.
I choose to forget the name of the restaurant, however the only best part is that it overlooks the Bay of Bengal and you can choose the rooftop and enjoy the sound of the sea
Came back to the hotel room and clearly dejected about the fact that i lost one day just because of the "BAAND"
28 April 2010
Mission Auroville and the organic food.
Auroville was 7 kms on the ECR (East Coast Road) that leads to Chennai and there is a sure to miss right turn and 7 kms ride post the right turn.
Keep an eye on these signboards on the road
I couldnt sleep well as the day was to be in Bangalore by the end of the day and here i am planning to visit Auroville.
I reached Auroville to pleasantly find out that there is nothing but a globe there made out of Gold (fake) and its a huge structure, and visitors are not allowed to visit inside the globe which is supposed to be a meditation hall for Aurovillians.
There is a one km walk to reach the globe and the place is open only from 9:30 am - noon and later on from 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm. I saw this signboard and i canceled my plans to visit the globe (most of you would call it a big mistake, but my purpose was different)
I had a small snack at the Auroville main restaurant just to know if they have organic preparation of food but alas it was as bad as it could get and very expensive and not worth the taste.
i went ahead in search of Pizza D'Auro which is a tad bit hidden and i needed the help of a local there, now most of the locals are Auroville are foreigners and i am a shy guy, but food tempted me to go ahead and talk to a lady named Linda .....something..something... and we chatted for a while and i asked her if she know this restaurant called Pizza D'Auro and she knew...we got on my bike and rushed there to get some...apparently he (Daniel) opens this restaurant only post noon, he obliged us and got us a vegetarian Pizza with basil and cheese and some toppings with onions and then it is gone in the clay oven and within minutes we have our Pizza, the aroma itself was so beautiful that we could not wait for the hot pizza to warm a bit and within minutes i was so content with my Pizza that i called it a day in Pondicherry.
By 2:30 pm i was done and ready to ride back to Bangalore and i was still unsure if i can make it by late evening or night to Bangalore and i did not want to miss out on the ECR stretch so i took this road it was a good 550 kms ride and i wanted to do this in practically 7 hrs max to reach to a hotel in Bangalore latest by 10:00 pm
i reached Bangalore late in the night by 10:00 pm and i took the NICE road and tried to reach Tumkur as fast as i can, but it rained and i had to halt, i took a small hotel where i got sleep before the big day ahead, it was Bangalore - Pune for me.. i checked in to this small hotel (i dont remember the name and i told him to wake me up at 4:30 am in the morning, later did i realize that i am catching cold and i am not able to sleep well.
29 April 2010
I got up in the morning at 8:30 am and had a plate of Idli and 2 combiflam tablets and started my ride from Tumkur - Pune
all in all a roughly 900 km stretch with the weather being good in the morning, i was belting the RTR at a constant 125kmph and riding hard, i was going great guns till Hubli and there i slowed a bit down and took my first break after a grueling 300 kms of non stop riding and by 8:00 pm i was with Satyen in Pune and he had already booked me a Volvo for 10:30 pm which we got it changed to a 9:00 pm Volvo. Dinner at Satyen was Omlet and it was filling enough for me till i reach home back in Mumbai at 1:30 pm.
All in all the ride was superb, the top speed hit on Satyen RTR was 133kmph and it was insanely loud
Best time to Visit Pondicherry: November - Early February
Best time to Visit Bangalore: Well Anytime of the year
Total Kms done roughly
Bangalore - Pondicherry: 360 kms
Pondicherry - Chennai - Bangalore - 550 kms
Bangalore - Pune - 900 kms
100 kms approximately here and there can be added.
Places to visit for food specifically
Daniel
Pizza D'Auro - for the best pizza at least here in India
New Creation Center
Auroville, Pondicherry
Le Cafe
Beach Pondicherry
(for good beef stake and good quality sea food, also try the cookies Almond biscuits)
Baker Street
Pondicherry
(largest bakery in Pondicherry, housing best of both English and French delicacy)
Sunny's Bangalore
Italian Restaurant
34, Vittal Malaya Road
Legends of Rock (Pub)
BTM Layout Bangalore
Purple Haze(Pub)
Bangalore
Total Cost Incurred
Credit Card: Rs. 11074
Debit Card: Rs. 6600
Thanks to Satyen Poojari for trusting me with the bike and booking my return from Pune to Mumbai, Joel, Avin Richards and Chetan for helping me with the Bangalore roads.
Some photo's to close the chapter
The initial plan was for me to ride from Mumbai - Bangalore - Chennai - Pondicherry - Bangalore - Mumbai, there was a slight change though!
While speaking to Satyen, i got to know that his bike is in Bangalore at Joel's who is preparing Satyen's bike for a Leh trip this May 2010, so i took a Volvo to Bangalore instead and rode from there on.
The D - Day:
23 April 2010:
I had a Volvo to catch at 3:00 pm from Sion in Mumbai and i live in the outskirts of Mumbai close to about 25 kms away from where the bus leaves, i was in a hurry and i managed to book a Cab in the last minute with some help from my sister and Shruti, they managed the packing, well a huge backpack with at least 7 t-shirts, 2 Jeans, 10 undergarments, 7 pairs of socks, 10 handkerchief, toiletries including my shaving set, deo, ...........shit i never knew that i had so many things and i never carried so many items in any of my long trip's and this was only for a week.
Out of sheer eagerness they packed everything from my cupboard to my backpack. All set and here i go in a cab to reach there at sharp 3:00 pm, but the bus arrives only at 3:45 pm and it was scheduled to reach Bangalore at 9:00 am as per the website, but the driver tells me 11:00 am is what it would take to reach Bangalore, all excited i found my seat and damn my leg..I think being 6'feet is a crime or they should have informed that the seats are not suitable for people who are 6'feet and weigh over 80 kgs.
Uncomfortable seating ruined my journey and i had to bear it for 20 hrs straight, some torture that even Mr. Kasab would not have borne for the 26/11.
24 April 2010
Eventful or Uneventful, however i put across i made it through 20 hrs and finally in Bangalore
This was my first experience in the Volvo and although i am amazed by the power, suspension & swiftly going at 110kmph, the seats are not comfortable for a huge guy like me, and we are talking about 20 hrs of uncomfortable seating position. They probably need to give extra leg room and reduce the number of seats, charge a bit more for better service, i think great potential for millions of people like me who want to have a joy ride.
So in Bangalore , the main purpose to visit Bangalore was to meet my friends Banerjee and Ramkumar, both were here in Mumbai for a long time, apparently now settled in Bangalore, Ram had got married in Nov last year and Banerjee became a father in Dec, and i couldn't visit them due to bad work-life planning.
24th and 25th was spent with them and their family, we did visit Legends of Rock (its a small Pub), drank and chilled out...
26 April 2010
I collected the bike from Joel on Monday at noon and by 2 the journey began, it was hot but the weather in Bangalore is something way better than what we have in Mumbai (less humid) and hence it was nice to be in the sun all i knew that i had to reach Pondicherry as fast as i can.
So the route decided
I had booked Ginger Pondicherry for my stay, the reason being low cost no frill accommodation. Ginger Hotels
The ride from Bangalore to Pondicherry was on a single lane state highway and it had to be fast due to lack of time, i did not want to reach late as i hate riding in the dark.
Saddle Bags strapped on Backpack and no knee guards was what i was with...i was very polite with the bike in the beginning as Satyen had told me that the bike is done up at 200 cc with k&n and a free flow exhaust system and some more detailing that i think only Joel can explain...(all i know is that it could eat up a P220 cc aka fastest Indian for breakfast).
I had a few breaks to reach the destination but it was all just for water, so i did not stop for any reason as such i was in Pondicherry at 6:00 pm and it was good to see the distance covered so fast. I clocked a high speed of 111 kmph on the state roads and it was not bad a beginning. i checked into the hotel and rested my butt for a while, only to realize that i missed the sun-set and now the only thing left to do is eat and probably drink.
Pondicherry: is known for the french colonial rule and a lot of french influence in their building structure (architecture) ,food culture, but it's lesser known for their Pizza's....they say that you get better Italian Pizza's in Pondicherry than what you get in Italy and with some research i headed out in search for some good cuisine.
After some search around and with no help i was not able to get any good Pizza joint but i found a restaurant on the Pondicherry beach stretch known as Le Club, which is the oldest french restaurant in the city which serves some good steak and there was I happy with a glass of beer in hand and some juicy buffalo tender meat. I happened to speak to the manager at the restaurant and he was happy to help me in choosing the best food in the restaurant, so post the steak, it was lobster for me, it is definitely messy but hell i care, there was some meat behind those tough shells. The moon shining brightly over the sea, beautiful silence that is shunned with only the sound of waves. All in all a pleasant day/evening. Both my thirst and appetite was satisfied, i headed back to the hotel and checked with the travel desk about Auroville (Auroville, a universal city in the making)
Le club by evening
French architecture
Sky lit with moon light
End of day 1 in Pondicherry.
27 April 2010
It is very hot in Pondicherry with the sun hitting hard at 45 Degree Celsius and humidity draining you completely, i tried going out at 10:00 am for a cup of coffee but it was so hot outside, i came back to my hotel and made myself tea and slept again...now the reason why i did not do anything was because it was declared "All India Baand" that day and i guess it was taken a rather too seriously in Pondicherry, no petrol pumps were open, no public transportation, all places that could be visited was shut and there was nothing to do...what a waste of a day!!!!
Later on in the evening i did visit the beach again and visited a church back there and Governors Bungalow.
Church
Church
Church
Statue of Mahatma Gandhi
Statue of Mahatma Gandhi
First Governor of Pondicherry
Statue and a Library in memory of Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar
A big restaurant that was lit in Blue Neon caught my attention while on the beach in Pondicherry and i got a bit tempted to sit and have a couple of drinks there and also check on the food that you get the best in there, so with a glass of "Teachers" i asked the waiter and the manager about the Pondicherry special available in there, all that came out were fish, so i got myself Fish to gorge on..i presumed that my taste buds will get some elevation but disappointed, i guess its true to have no expectations to enjoy life...the more the expectations the more you get disappointed.
I choose to forget the name of the restaurant, however the only best part is that it overlooks the Bay of Bengal and you can choose the rooftop and enjoy the sound of the sea
Came back to the hotel room and clearly dejected about the fact that i lost one day just because of the "BAAND"
28 April 2010
Mission Auroville and the organic food.
Auroville was 7 kms on the ECR (East Coast Road) that leads to Chennai and there is a sure to miss right turn and 7 kms ride post the right turn.
Keep an eye on these signboards on the road
I couldnt sleep well as the day was to be in Bangalore by the end of the day and here i am planning to visit Auroville.
I reached Auroville to pleasantly find out that there is nothing but a globe there made out of Gold (fake) and its a huge structure, and visitors are not allowed to visit inside the globe which is supposed to be a meditation hall for Aurovillians.
There is a one km walk to reach the globe and the place is open only from 9:30 am - noon and later on from 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm. I saw this signboard and i canceled my plans to visit the globe (most of you would call it a big mistake, but my purpose was different)
I had a small snack at the Auroville main restaurant just to know if they have organic preparation of food but alas it was as bad as it could get and very expensive and not worth the taste.
i went ahead in search of Pizza D'Auro which is a tad bit hidden and i needed the help of a local there, now most of the locals are Auroville are foreigners and i am a shy guy, but food tempted me to go ahead and talk to a lady named Linda .....something..something... and we chatted for a while and i asked her if she know this restaurant called Pizza D'Auro and she knew...we got on my bike and rushed there to get some...apparently he (Daniel) opens this restaurant only post noon, he obliged us and got us a vegetarian Pizza with basil and cheese and some toppings with onions and then it is gone in the clay oven and within minutes we have our Pizza, the aroma itself was so beautiful that we could not wait for the hot pizza to warm a bit and within minutes i was so content with my Pizza that i called it a day in Pondicherry.
By 2:30 pm i was done and ready to ride back to Bangalore and i was still unsure if i can make it by late evening or night to Bangalore and i did not want to miss out on the ECR stretch so i took this road it was a good 550 kms ride and i wanted to do this in practically 7 hrs max to reach to a hotel in Bangalore latest by 10:00 pm
i reached Bangalore late in the night by 10:00 pm and i took the NICE road and tried to reach Tumkur as fast as i can, but it rained and i had to halt, i took a small hotel where i got sleep before the big day ahead, it was Bangalore - Pune for me.. i checked in to this small hotel (i dont remember the name and i told him to wake me up at 4:30 am in the morning, later did i realize that i am catching cold and i am not able to sleep well.
29 April 2010
I got up in the morning at 8:30 am and had a plate of Idli and 2 combiflam tablets and started my ride from Tumkur - Pune
all in all a roughly 900 km stretch with the weather being good in the morning, i was belting the RTR at a constant 125kmph and riding hard, i was going great guns till Hubli and there i slowed a bit down and took my first break after a grueling 300 kms of non stop riding and by 8:00 pm i was with Satyen in Pune and he had already booked me a Volvo for 10:30 pm which we got it changed to a 9:00 pm Volvo. Dinner at Satyen was Omlet and it was filling enough for me till i reach home back in Mumbai at 1:30 pm.
All in all the ride was superb, the top speed hit on Satyen RTR was 133kmph and it was insanely loud
Best time to Visit Pondicherry: November - Early February
Best time to Visit Bangalore: Well Anytime of the year
Total Kms done roughly
Bangalore - Pondicherry: 360 kms
Pondicherry - Chennai - Bangalore - 550 kms
Bangalore - Pune - 900 kms
100 kms approximately here and there can be added.
Places to visit for food specifically
Daniel
Pizza D'Auro - for the best pizza at least here in India
New Creation Center
Auroville, Pondicherry
Le Cafe
Beach Pondicherry
(for good beef stake and good quality sea food, also try the cookies Almond biscuits)
Baker Street
Pondicherry
(largest bakery in Pondicherry, housing best of both English and French delicacy)
Sunny's Bangalore
Italian Restaurant
34, Vittal Malaya Road
Legends of Rock (Pub)
BTM Layout Bangalore
Purple Haze(Pub)
Bangalore
Total Cost Incurred
Credit Card: Rs. 11074
Debit Card: Rs. 6600
Thanks to Satyen Poojari for trusting me with the bike and booking my return from Pune to Mumbai, Joel, Avin Richards and Chetan for helping me with the Bangalore roads.
Some photo's to close the chapter
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