[bblost]

The last one year has been extremely stressful for everyone who likes to travel. Honestly I am very grateful that the lockdown and travel restrictions due to Covid19 have not had any direct impact on me.

But slowly and steadily my mental balance was getting jeopardized. I need the open road like a fish needs water to survive. Not ashamed to say that I would sometimes just sit on my parked bike and get all misty eyed.

Here among friends, I can easily bare my soul and know there would be only understanding for the unique predicament we have faced.

The Honda Drive to Discover is one of my favorite events. There is a car and there is destination. Between the two is an open road, just waiting to be experienced.

Honda had sent a full itinerary of the trip. It included mandatory RT-PCR testing. The tests would be conducted before and during the trip. There were also a lot of rules on the usage of masks and sanitizers. The attention to detail that Honda puts in these events and my comfort with the organizers meant that if something would be my first trip out of Hyderabad, then this was the best one.

The first thing I saw when seated in the airplane was this picture of Thalaiva and I knew that Magizchi (Happiness) was the only word that matched what I felt.



Team-BHP has participated in a couple of previous Drive to Discover trips:

• benbsb29 drove the Brio across Kerala in the D2D-3. Read more. (In a Honda Brio : Kochi - Munnar - Thiruvananthapuram)
• Rudra drove the Amaze up the east coast to Chennai. Read More. (Amazing Discovery Drive: Thiruvananthapuram to Chennai in a Honda Amaze)
• I drove the Mobilio across the forests and hills around Bandipur and Coorg. Read More. (Honda Mobilio Drive: 36 Hairpins, Bandipur Tiger Reserve & Namdroling Monastery)
• I also drove to Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Longewala and Tanot last year. Read more. (Honda Drive to Discover: To Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Longewala and Tanot)
• .anshuman drove across Madhya Pradesh and Khajuraho. Read More.
• Rudra went to the land of the Thunder Dragon. Read More. (In the land of the thunder dragon - Driving Hondas from West Bengal to Bhutan!)
• I did a beautiful drive thru our North Eastern States. Read More. (Driving through the North-East with Honda (Civic & CR-V))

[bblost]

The short flight from Hyderabad to Bangalore seemed to take forever. The assembly point was the Taj conveniently located just outside the Bangalore airport. A quick round of introductions and I was handed over a Honda Amaze.

The Amaze is a decent car. I spent my time both driving it and as a passenger in it.

We had a simple plan for this day. Get to Trivek resorts in Chikmangalur by nightfall. The route would take us thru the Yagachi dam and then the beautifully laid out Ghat roads towards Mullayana Giri. Mullayana Giri is the highest peak in Karnataka.

I usually jump into the drivers seat as soon as I get the keys. But I was paired with another guy who loves to drive. So unlike my last sojourn, I was going to share the drive time with this young man. Thankfully he was a very good driver and I actually fell asleep in the car.

The Amaze has a decent passenger seat and a well tuned albeit noisy engine for the roads.

We stopped in Hassan for a quick tea and then proceeded towards the Yagachi Dam. While doing our best to keep the speeds in check, it was a race to get to the dam before the sun sets. Following the navigation in the car, we reached a "kacha road". There was a closed gate. There was a friendly guard. He opened the gate and it was an empty mud road with just shrubs on either side. Pushed the car on the dirt track but with a lot of restraint. Reach the dam. There is a policeman. I am absolutely certain I saw him laughing when he said this is not the entry to the dam.

So in all the excitement of the drive we had reached the wrong entrance of the Dam. A quick U-Turn and using common sense instead of completely relying on the maps, we retraced our route.

We luckily still made it to the publicly accessible side of the dam. The sun had just set but there was enough light to see the water and a few birds.

The drive from the dam to the hotel took us over the Ghat roads. The access is restricted but the hotel had spoken to the checkpost and we were allowed to pass without any issues. There are some lovely hairpin bends on this road but the overall tarmac is excellent and makes for a safe drive. The dinner was an excellent platter of local delicacies. I think I have fallen in love with the Bhatkali Chicken Biryani.

[bblost]

I don't like waking up early. So I kept an alarm for 5:30 AM. I promptly woke up and switched it off and I swear I went to sleep for only 5 mins but time plays funny tricks. Luckily my co-driver called me up and I forced myself out by 6:30 AM.

Thankfully I trusted his driving from the previous day and hence chilled out in the passenger seat, while we drove up to Mullayana Giri. With an elevation of almost 2,000 meters, it has a beautiful panoramic view of the Western Ghats.

We came back to the hotel and I enjoyed a JackFruit dosa. It sounds like a really strange dish but it is very tasty and the delicate flavors are worth trying out.

[bblost]

We were allotted a Honda City. I like the dashboard of this new model. It is a lot easier to use compared to the outgoing car and Android Auto is a must for Navigation. Hooked up my phone and we were off towards Mangalore. The destination was the coastal city of Kundapura.

The roads are mostly two lane and there is a good amount of traffic. But they are winding and covered in greenery. A lunch break at Hotel Gajalee Sea Food had me get into almost full keto style. Relished the prawns and fried fish till I could eat no more.

A short detour took us to a road that ran alongside the beach. It took me back to my college days of roaming around the beaches in Chennai. We decided to park and just sit watching the sun set. It was like a scene out of an art movie. With the waves crashing on the rocks, a couple of birds waiting to get a worm or fish. Even some humans angling for fish. Then a thousand different crabs just watching out every move.

Long after the sun had set and darkness started to envelop everything, we drove on towards Kundapura.

[bblost]

It was a lazy morning in Kundapura.
I watched TV. As a father of two hyperactive kids and locked up in the house for the entire year, only someone in my shoes will understand the immense feeling of power, holding a TV remote control gives you.

In any case we ended up with a WRV to drive. After the Amaze and then the City this car somehow did not really feel that comfortable. As long as I am not in the passenger seat or taking right turns (horrible blind spot) its kind of works.

The destination for today was Goa. But the highlight was the route. Its a beautiful stretch with lots of greenery and waterways around it.
Enroute is the Murdeshwara temple that has world's second tallest Shiva statue.

We stopped in Karwar for lunch. If you like fish then you are in paradise. I ate nothing but fish. Especially loved the Kanne (Lady Fish) fried with a coating of semolina.

Goa is like an experience that cannot be easily described in words. Its very air makes you feel vibrant and happy. We proceeded to our hotel in South Goa thru the narrow but good roads. A quick check-in and made a run to the water.

It had been over a year since I last got the chance to stand in the sea and let its waters wash away all worries and stress. There has been a huge increase in the number of watersports with many thrill seekers enjoying speedboats, parachute flying etc.


































The covid life has made us into some sort of modern prisoner of masks and PPE. I hope we become free like the birds soon and fly in the open skies without a care in the world.

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Travelogues section. Thanks for sharing!

[sramanat]

Zoomcar or Drivezy should consider partnering with Oyo type business and offer this as a service. There was (sill is?) an airline in Europe that flies you somewhere from home on Friday and brings you back home on Monday. You go to an unknown destination (whichever flight is unsold) for a fraction of the cost to go to, say Paris or Rome.

Write a software that picks up unsold rooms, unused Zoomcars and match them. Add in some elements of a dating/friendship app and you are on your way to be the next unicorn.

[Eddy]

Immy, if you were to buy one these cars - which one would you put your money on?

[PrideRed]

Nice travelogue. Was it petrol Amaze you drove? MT or AT? Amaze has definitely got my attention as a second car. Compact, smooth, spacious enough to carry shopping bags and CVT makes this a competent city package. I was certain this would be our city car whenever I plan to buy, but Magnite CVT has hit a bulls eye. XV CVT is about 50K cheaper, gets bit more equipment and a turbo petrol.

[bblost]

I drove a Petrol MT Amaze.

Its a little noisy on the open roads but its a sweet package of comfort and space for the city runs. The boot is adequate for an airport run as well.

[benbsb29]

I love these sweet, little trips. More so, the Drive to Discover series from Honda. I still remember the memo as being.. this is where we have to reach; how we get there, you decide. No hurry whatsoever!

Happy to see the basic premise of this endeavour hasn't changed.

[Samurai]

Nice travelogue. Too bad I was in Bangalore when you drove past my area.

Originally Posted by bblost

We stopped in Hassan for a quick tea and then proceeded towards the Yagachi Dam.

I drive past Hassan twice a month, I have never visited Yagachi dam.

Where did you stay in Kundapur... UVA Meridian?

[bblost]

Originally Posted by Eddy

Immy, if you were to buy one these cars - which one would you put your money on?

City >> Amaze > WRV.

Originally Posted by Samurai

Nice travelogue. Too bad I was in Bangalore when you drove past my area.

I drive past Hassan twice a month, I have never visited Yagachi dam.

Where did you stay in Kundapur... UVA Meridian?

The Yagachi dam is a nice picnic spot for locals. A good basket of food and a mat will be all that is needed for the kids to have some fun.

We stayed in UVA Meridian.