[laluks]

Day 8
05 October 2008 Sunday

Candolim - Mapusa -Sawantwadi - Ambolighats - Belgaum - Hubli - Harihar (break)

We woke up quite late, thanks to the heavy dinner at brittos the previous night. By the time we finished breakfast it was 11.00AM.

Took some photographs around the resort.










Went to Candolim beach behind the resort to take a final look of the sea for this trip. We strolled around till 12.00PM there.




We checked out by 12.30PM and took the Sawantwadi Amboli route. This was a good drive. We reached Sawantwadi by 2.00PM. We could already see dark clouds covering the sky.

Sawantwadi lake


Day 8 continued.

[laluks]

Day 8 continued

AMBOLI GHATS
By the time we hit the Amboli ghats, it began pouring like anything. What else could we ask for. Ghats and rains. It was an amazing experience in Amboli ghats.







We stopped at Amboli waterfall.




Another waterfall


We stopped for lunch at Vittal Kamat at the Amboli sunset point. Had good Malvani thali form there.



We did not want to leave Amboli ghats. It was so mesmerising. Since Bangalore was too far way we again started driving.

Reached Belgaum by 4.30. My wife took the wheels till Hubli and I started clicking photos of the beautiful roads to Hubli.

Belgaum Hubli roads



GPS showing 400+km to home


Wife testing Civic


I drove all the way from Hubli to Rannibennur. Stopped for some rest and filled petrol at Rannibennur



PUNCTURE and trouble

In the dirty patches near Harihar we got a puncture. To our surprise and agony both the left front and rear tyre punctured. The front tyre was cut and unusable and the rear had a side wall small abberration, but enough to cause air to leak. Front rim also developed a crack. We did not hit any potholes, but a small stone on the road. The stone was too small to be noticed in the dark, but enough to cause such a damage .

Looked around and saw there was a petrol pump near by. Removed the front tyre and replaced it with the steppini. Removed the rear wheel and saved it to be repaired. Replaced the rear with the badly damaged front tyre and limped to the petrol pump. Parked the car there and looked around for a puncture walla with the help of a local auto guy.

But the puncture walla did not have equipments to remove the tyre and to repair the puncture. He did not want to try hitting and removing as it might damage the alloys and he adviced that if done like that tubeless cannot be used again. He suggested that it is better to halt and try next morning and gave the address of the nearest MRF showroom.

Came back to the petrol pump. It was a 24 hour pump from BP. Parked the car there and locked it up. Went in the auto to the nearest decent family lodge, which was a kilometere from the pump in the town Harihar. Stayed overnight there.


Day 9
Harihar - Chitradurga - Sira - Tumkur - Bangalore


Next day morning, by 10.00AM the same auto walla (Raju) came and picked me up. We both went to the MRF showroom. The saved rear tyre had leaks, and the MRF guy suggested we put a patch inside and put additionally a tube and limp home to Bangalore and change tyre. But he did not have a tube for 195/65 R15. He called some local guys and procured a tube, I guess it belongs to tractors and made the tyre ready to travel. There was an apple like bulge at the abberrated area, but he certified it to be ok. Took the tyre back and fitted it on.

Thanked the auto wallah and petrol pump security for their good will, and gave them a token of appreciation - which to my surprise they rejected. I forced only to be told that you and your family reach safe in Bangalore and give us a call. That's enough. I once again started to believe in the values of humanity.

Civic again started rolling by 12.30PM. Vacated the lodge and we started slowly back on our journey to Bangalore, sticking the speed to a max of 80 as suggested by the knowledgeable MRF guy.

We stopped for lunch on the way for an hour. Reached Tumkur by 6.00PM. Stopped at the Vittal Kamat for tea, and started on to Bangalore by 6.30PM. Thanks to the mad traffic from there till Krishnarajapuram, we reached home by 8.45PM on Monday the 6th of October, 9 days of travelling . Odo shows 2825Kms. Parked the car inside, took a look at the tyre - to see that it just remained the same. Gave a call to the auto wallah and confirmed that I have reached and thanked him once again. After a few minutes got a call from the MRF guy too. Felt so nice, and on that good will note completed the journey, thanked our lucky stars and munched away on our home made dinner and retired for the night.

The End

BHPians - Please give feedback as to where to improve, what you guys liked, disliked in my narration and photography. I'll better it next time. This was my first ever travelogue.

[akroy]

laluks, this was an excellent writeup. Very exhaustic and you have given every small small details about the place. This will definitely act like a guide in future.

I particularly liked the humility of the autowallah and MRF guys. It is because of these people our society and values are still striving.

Abhi

[laluks]

Originally Posted by akroy

laluks, this was an excellent writeup. Very exhaustic and you have given every small small details about the place. This will definitely act like a guide in future.

I particularly liked the humility of the autowallah and MRF guys. It is because of these people our society and values are still striving.

Abhi

Dear Abhi,

Thank you for the feedback.

I'll never forget the autowallah and MRF guys. You know what, I have contacts now in Harihar

Best regards
Lalu

[ASHISHPALLOD]

Laluks,
Nice travelogue.
So many places had covered in single travelogue.
Hope, this travelogue will be guide for bhpians for sights to be seen in and around Goa.
Second waterfall shown in pics of Amboli is Nagartas waterfall , 10 km away from Amboli on Belgaum road. Had you seen kavaleshet point at Amboli? it is just 2 km detour on Belgaum road 6 km away from Amboli.

[laluks]

Originally Posted by ASHISHPALLOD

Laluks,
Nice travelogue.
So many places had covered in single travelogue.
Hope, this travelogue will be guide for bhpians for sights to be seen in and around Goa.
Second waterfall shown in pics of Amboli is Nagartas waterfall , 10 km away from Amboli on Belgaum road. Had you seen kavaleshet point at Amboli? it is just 2 km detour on Belgaum road 6 km away from Amboli.

Thanks

Nagartas, I remember seeing that board "nagartas dabdaba".
kavalesht point - I did not see , is it the sunset point?

[ASHISHPALLOD]

Originally Posted by laluks

Thanks

kavalesht point - I did not see , is it the sunset point?

no.
kavaleshet point is overlooking valley with so many waterfalls.
see the pic.

[laluks]

Originally Posted by ASHISHPALLOD

no.
kavaleshet point is overlooking valley with so many waterfalls.
see the pic.
Attachment 60168

I missed it.
Thanks for the picture, our fellow BHPians would be benefitted. cheers:

[Jammy70]

Laluks,

Thank you for a very informative report. You have taken great pains to report all the beach names, churches, even small turns one needs to take - I'm sure this will be a very useful guide for many of us.

BTW, what was the total distance on your return journey via Amboli and how long did the driving take? The ghats look really beautiful in the rain!

Cheers,

[laluks]

Originally Posted by Jammy70

Laluks,

Thank you for a very informative report. You have taken great pains to report all the beach names, churches, even small turns one needs to take - I'm sure this will be a very useful guide for many of us.

BTW, what was the total distance on your return journey via Amboli and how long did the driving take? The ghats look really beautiful in the rain!

Cheers,

Thank you for the feedback.

Distance was around 650-670Km. I took around 3.5 hours to cover Panaji-Sawantwadi-Amboli- Belgaum.
Belgaum to Rannibennur took took around 3.5 hours. But since I had to stop there due to the puncture I got delayed.

But on the onward journey we reached Rannibennur in 4 hours.

I would say 11 hours without break.

[smsrini]

Wonderful, I never knew there were so many beaches around karnataka and GOA!!

Deserves a 5star rating!

[laluks]

Originally Posted by smsrini

Wonderful, I never knew there were so many beaches around karnataka and GOA!!

Deserves a 5star rating!

Thanks a lot.
You know there are still more beaches . I am so happy that the information is useful to all of you.

[dreamdiesel]

Laluks. An awesome travelogue, Goa to me always has been few beaches and a few churches. But I see you have travelled the entire breadth and width of Goa and have mentioned all the places in detail. Thanks again for this wonderfull travelogue which will be my reference for my future Goa trip!

[laluks]

Originally Posted by dreamdiesel

Laluks. An awesome travelogue, Goa to me always has been few beaches and a few churches. But I see you have travelled the entire breadth and width of Goa and have mentioned all the places in detail. Thanks again for this wonderfull travelogue which will be my reference for my future Goa trip!

Thank you.

There are much more than what I could see in goa. For example I never tried the waterfalls in Goa, I guess there are 3 to 4 worth seeing. There are crocodile spotting trips. Then Big Foot, some caves, some wild life sanctuaries etc..

[Surprise]

Originally Posted by laluks

Attachment 59894

Attachment 59896


BHPians - Please give feedback as to where to improve, what you guys liked, disliked in my narration and photography. I'll better it next time. This was my first ever travelogue.

Wow! what a travelogue. Good that I missed it out before only to get a chance to read it in full stretch. The moment I complete reading every lines, I voted it for a 5 star rating. Enjoyed every bit and what a wonderful photographs.

Will always look for travelogues from you.