Team-BHP (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/)

-   Travelogues (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travelogues/)

-   -   Two Trips -Down Memory lane - Pune - Udupi (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travelogues/94233-two-trips-down-memory-lane-pune-udupi.html)

25th October 2010.

I sent a mail to the director of Alumni affairs, confirming my presence in Manipal. Simple mail graciously accepting their invitation.

Calendar marked - 11th and 12th Dec - Manipal and Udupi.

Fresh from a Trip to Sringeri where I drove back with just a quarter eye open and a leg that was getting better, family was apprehensive about how I'd do the trip just over a weekend, though there was time.

Sometime in the first week of November.
I knew that I'd be in Pune for a few more months. May be more. So now to dig out the plan of family vacation. Have to work on them to modify them a bit.

Calendar marked - 18th to 26th Dec - Sringeri and Udupi.
Family was also worried more. Back to back drive for me to the same place means more of damage to my leg. My worry was about the damages to my pocket. I have set my eyes on the lighting kit owned by Anvancy. Need to procure that. Then a desktop. Then more storage for my photos and videos. Electronic junk is lifelong cost! So out goes my plans of new rubber and alloys for my vehicle.

Yes. This is a crazy travelogue of two trips actually. It's crazy because first trip was perfectly planned but nothing worked. Second trip was totally unplanned, but everything worked brilliantly!
First trip, there was just the lone traveller.
Second trip included the whole family.

First trip got me a new friend, someone who swapped seats with me in Airavat volvo. Without his kind help, I'd not have been able to do the second trip.
Second trip took me down memory lane. Been wanting to do a lot of things, managed to do very little, but the feeling of accomplishment is great.

First trip raised many eye-brows. "MX6 on a volvo bus?" asked a D-BHPian!

Second trip dropped many jaws. "MX6 is operating a volvo service with back to back trips every month", replied the same D-BHPian.

While the first trip was about finding new friends, the second was about finding out where the old one's are!

First trip is NOT about Shiva. Second trip he comes back!

The world is a small place. Both the trips asserted that one single thought.

In the first trip met a friend in a dramatic fashion.
In the second trip met loads of BHPians midway! Mini T-BHP meet.

A D-BHPian asked my wife, "How did you let him drive in this condition!"

Three friends declared I'm mad. Sadly, another member has taken that title for his travelogue.

Amidst all this crazy things, two trips happened, one after the other, in very contrasting styles.

Here's a sneak teaser pic!

MX6 has Landed!

MX6:

wow....no words..... looking forward for another fun filled adventure from you as usual.

Interesting start.
One thing I realised is that you can never be too far away from a team-bhpian nowadays anywhere in India!
MX6, you have become our ace test car driver for NH17, your updates on the bad condition of that indispensable highway are not to be missed.

MX6,
waiting for more,
am happy that i have three more supporters!!!:D

@hvk,

mx6 ko zaad pe mat baithao!!

He will take your words seriously.:D

Thanks for the appreciation Venki.bala. There's going to be some old photos unfolding in this log. I will take some time to post as I'm yet to unpack after reaching pune. And there's work catching up fast. But there's going to be some narration that will keep you engrossed.

Thanks saar. It's not only the drive that's tonic. Your words too are.
This log will see my proceed on two travelogues simultaneously. I will be alternating between the two just like the first post. The second post here will set the tone I guess.

Saar. Once this is through you will have hopefully enough supporters to start your own party!

And who doesn't take HVK's words seriously? Even my mother and wife take his words seriously!

Here's continuing with the log(s). Photos will come up in the night.

Dec 11th 2010 - Udupi
"I'll come with you tomorrow to Pune", said my father, "How can you travel alone in this condition?"
" I travelled alone from Pune to Udupi right? I will go back the same way".
Nevertheless he searched for tickets in the same bus. No tickets were available.
He searched for tickets for me and him in train after a couple of days.
I need to go back. Get proper rest. So that I can travel back on 18th Dec to Sringeri.
"Do you really want to do that trip? Can't we make it a local affair in Pune?", he asked me.
"No. Not until I feel that I can't drive".
"And when will you confirm that?".
"I can start on 18th to be in Sringeri by 19th. So I will confirm the trip by 16th night."
And a kind soul on the Volvo bus from Udupi to Pune swapped seats with me. He ensured that I got maximum comfort. That enabled the following conversation on 16th Dec and a final decision on the second trip.

16th Dec 2010 - Hinjewadi.
"What are you planning about your vacation? Do you want to cancel that and work from home? Do you want to just take the leave and stay back in Pune and rest?"
"I will take rest. And I will take rest in Udupi".
That night as discussed earlier, I called my father to confirm that we are driving down.
Immediately I logged on to facebook.
"Saar. I'm driving down to Sringeri - Udupi and back".
Aargee - What else can I say. You are crazy and determined. Do what you want.
AnilisAnil - Cool. (yeah. another way of saying I'm crazy).
HVKumar - You are mad. He was quick to add, "Once they carried me to the scorpio. I drove to Ahmedabad and back. And in 3 days I was fine".
I will do twice the distance in thrice the time. On a linear scale, I'd be 1.5 times as mad as HVK!

11th Dec 2010 - Udupi
"Sir, MX6 here"
It was the Associate Director of the University at the other end.
"Where are you? You didn't come yesterday and this morning"
I explained him.
"Can you come to the Chaitya Hall by 6:30? Everything is happening and we are missing your presence."
"I need a vehicle. Not getting any autos or taxis sir. Further they have cordoned off quite an area because of the visits of AB Vajpayee, LK Advani, Yediyurappa and his cohorts".
"No vehicles around here too. There's heavy shortage of vehicles due to holiday season, visiting dignitaries and flurry of activities".
"I'll come. I'll find my way".

17th Dec 2010 - Pune.
I need to replace a bulb. The right parking light bulb at front is fused. This is the first time I don't feel like driving, though the Auto Electric shop is hardly 5 kms away.
"Are you sure we can do this drive tomorrow?", asked my wife.
"If I wake up by 5, we leave by 6".
It can't get crazier than this.
No excel sheets. No packing - carrying - to do lists. No pre travel shopping. No checking of car condition/ fluid levels/ quick check ups. Don't even know the fuel level in the car.
No planning of the routes or going over forums/ gmaps/ garmin maps.
"Saar. Planning to leave tomorrow morning by 6 am from Pune. Can you suggest a route to Sringeri that offers least bad roads", I asked HVKumar.
"You know the route"

This was the time I had Garmin would not be telling me where and how to go. Rather, it would just record where I go.

I get a mail from google that HVKumar is near me in Pune.

sent him an SMS. You come to pune and not tell me. Not good saar. Not at all good.

He replies stating that he's with friends.

I reply. Tomorrow morning I'd leave by 6 am to Sringeri. Can't meet you then.
You are crazy he concluded.

Take the Chitradurga - Bhadravati route - he adviced.

Also I figured Parimal_G was in Pune. Told him the same. Can't meet him too as I'm going to Sringeri.

On a friday night 17th Dec 2010, slowly I drifted to sleep. for tomorrow would be a long day.

The words kept ringing in my ears. As crazy as it can get!

Amazing MX6,
The photo in your first post says it all.
Read through the whole post, well if HVK sir is calling you crazy, then you must be one.
Waiting for the snaps eagerly. Had been missing your travelogues.!!

Looking forward to what all trouble you got yourself into this time ;)

Awesome start MX6.

The more I talk to you/chat with you the more my wife gets worried!! LOL

I told her about your trips and her reactions do not find suitable words.

Now this is like watching a movie after you know the story. While I am glued let the new year party start!! ;)

Reading the TL, I feel the same confusion that I have sometimes - am I driving to Delhi? Or to Kanyakumari? When I am actually driving to Calcutta?
MX6 ji, for old [people like us, this multi-tasking is very difficult, now I am confused with all these multiple dialogue windows whether you are coming or going!

Wow. Fordmanchau. You have me all geared up now. Seems there's a BJP called bandh from midnight for 24 hours. That gives me ample of time to work on the photos!

This time it was both pain and pleasure saar. Remember there are two travelogues in this one log.

The movie has some plots which will be revealed slowly. Hence I'm alternating the narration between two trips. And don't keep your wife worried. I had HVK worried with our idea of the GQ on his Scorpio. But now I have a better Idea than ever. It's a secret. Will discuss over a tapri meet!

Saar. Old people like US? Does that US include me as well? :D
Just follow the dates. There are two trips. And the dates chronicle where I was, which way I was travelling and what happened! Just that it is exactly my line of thoughts as every day passed.
Anyway you know the route condition already!
So kindly bear with me as I present a two part story interpersed. It's like going to flashbacks and coming. I try getting the flash back kind of emoticon (the swirling concentric circles) and put it here to show that this part of the log is actually a week back :D

It better be as feasible as all our previous ideas. Next tapri meet should be on new years day. A great way to kick start the year!!

12th Dec 2010 - Udupi Bus stand.
As I was waiting for the Volvo to pull in, I see over a thousand ladies dancing and running on the road. It was the 80th birthday of one of the gurujis of the Udupi math.
I'm irritated to the core. They stopped all traffic in the most important road of Udupi for over an hour because some crazy people wanted to go on a parade. There were all kinds of caricatures on the road, followed by dancers, people playing various instruments, rallyists and finally the guruji emerges seated on a chariot.

Is this some kind of a joke? They have already sealed the car street and no vehicles are allowed. Why don't they have their festivities happening there?

It was becoming increasingly difficult to stand at the bus stop waiting for the volvo that was stuck somewhere due to this procession.

This is the sad part of India. Some one celebrates birthday, there's procession on road. Some one dies, there's procession on road. Some one gets married, some one gets arrested, some one gets famous, some one gets infamous, there's a procession on the road. The Road reflects the true culture of a nation. And this is the 21st century India!

An hour late, the bus pulls in and I clamber up and find my seat. Next to me is an elderly gentleman who toiled the good part of his life in Dubai and has come to India to lead a retired life.

"Have you seen such madness in Dubai?"
"No. We worked. There was no free time for such things there."
"Guess that's what's the problem here is now", I said in a chuckle. "The temple feeds people for free. So they can go dancing on the roads like there's no need to work for a tomorrow!"
"yes", he retorted, "Even the church has started feeding people in these places. We'll see more such processions".

Settling in the bus, I was exposed to Mental torture apart from the physical torture I had before getting in. They put Dabangg. The following weekend drive looked bleak.

I had a nice conversation with the elderly gentleman on the history of Manipal and vented angst at mass deforestation along NH17 (for four laning).
Though the 4 laning is planned till Kundapura, they've chopped trees all the way till Bhatkal!

"Timber. It fetches money. So whether you have plans for 4 laning now or not, they'd chop it at the available moment. Now the challenge is in ensuring that there are no encroachments on the cleared area beyond Kundapura"

"What are you doing with your mobile in-between regularly?", he asked.

Oh. I'm a part of an online forum called T-BHP. So taking photos and making notes of road condition so that I can update there. Also updating these on facebook.

He looked lost. As the Munni Badnaam hui song came over, it wasn't just Malaika who was gyrating. The whole bus was rocking like a boat, not to the tune, but to the great road condition at Bhatkal!

The following weekend trip did look bleak as I was unable to sit and relax in the bus.

18th Dec 2010 - 5 am - residence at Pune
I was up and ready. My poor wife had to get everything packed all by herself. I took a shower in nice cold water with temperature hovering around 11 degrees.
It took me 40 mins to finish my shower. I needed it to stay alert. Because the plan was to drive out by 6 am and stop for the night in Sringeri.

We left 15 mins or so late. Putting up those things in the boot and then getting our daughter in the car seat in that cold was a bit tiresome.

3 hours hence, I decided to pull over in to the McDonalds for breakfast. Roads were free. Toll booths were relatively free. Managed to cross Khed Shivapur before the crowds made it. The other tolls we had some crowd coming in. After 3 hours and 15 mins, we crossed Kolhapur. It was breakfast time. Time to feed Idlies to my daughter. Time for me to rest.

As I was resting, there was a call.
"Where are you saar?"
"We are speed testing a bike near Tawandi ghats. It's incredible. There are 5 of us in a black Honda. You can't miss us".
"I'm nearing Kagal. I will stop again for tanking up. I should cross you in an hour and half. If you are around, we'll catch up".

I stopped by to take photos with my long lost twin. Don't know how my wife managed to shake a point and shoot cam to get such a photo. May be she was still feeling cold!

^^ Will the real MX6 stand up?

Speed testing a bike!!!!??? now I know how you meant "The movie has some plots which will be revealed slowly."

MX6, did anyone tell you - at this rate, you are going to be in the list for the Booker Prize, on the footsteps of Salman bhai (not the Dabbhang guy, silly......the Rushdie one).

It must have been weird to see Malaika still while you guys were gyrating in the Volvo as it flew across the air pockets at Bhatkal.

Does the McD after Khatraj have clean loos? (not mentioned in your TL)

A very pleasant read! More so, because it is coming from someone who's been at Manipal and then a BHPian!

Which institute did you study in and when did you graduate?

I am a class of '09 alumni from MIT! Almost made it to the Alumni Meet, had it not been for some other plan.

It has been close to 2 years since I left Manipal, but every and then I find myself going there to refresh my memory!