Vadodara to New Delhi (or Agra)

When I used to go to Gandhinagar from Vadodara on official trips, I would see the sign boards mentioning - "New Delhi - 980 kms". My obsession for long drives on motorcycle made me wish a bike to appear below me out of thin air and go for a long drive. I didn't own one till I got married (No, I did not received it as a marriage gift. I bought the motorcycle with my own money).

Now that I had a motorcycle, I had a wife too! I could not go on long trips, even to Ahmedabad, which is about 130 kms because I had to take her if I go and she would start complaining about pain and uneasiness in about 15 kms and would ask to turn back. I said to her, "I will go on a really long trip when you go to your 'mayka'. (This was one of the reasons I was happy to send her to her 'mayka'.)

The day when she was to go to Mumbai (from where she would go to her mothers place), I had an official trip to Gandhinagar. The sign board urged me again and this time I listened to it.




I decided, I will travel from Vadodara to New Delhi or Agra ( I already had two options). I started preparations, finding the route on Google Maps, listing down the things that I will need en route. I bought many items, 30% of which I never used and had to throw away or carry on my shoulders. Special mention: I bought four cans of Red Bull energy drink to replenish me on the way.
I had to delay my trip few weeks due to some "Murphy's Law" reasons. Then there was a news of firing on some bus in Delhi. Now, this was a bad news. Can't these guys just wait till the CWG 2010 to finish to play shooting with their guns and trigger happy fingers???

I decided not to go Delhi for security reasons. Not firing - but handling all those police searching and inquiring after a lone biker who has come all the way from Vadodara to Delhi. (Well, this happened in Ajmer, there was police inquiry on me, just a routine check.) Keeping two options has its own benefits, I decided on Agra.

Which bike to take?
I had option of riding a PassionPro, Unicorn or my own Splendor+. I gave up CBZ due to low average. I had negative views on long running of Splendor+ so I opted to take either of the two other bikes metioned above. One of my friends told me stories about how a person was entangled in the web of never ending court dates and had a pitiful condition after his bike was involved in an accident which was driven by some other person. My friend allowed me to take his bike but also narrated me the above story with compassion. I did not want this happening to me and to my friend because of me. The burden of latter made me change my views on long running of Spelndor+. I took my own bike.

Packing and leaving
The backpack was heavier than expected so I removed some items like a 1 liter juice tetrapack, some clothes, one water bottle (filled). Still heavy. I decided to shift the weight from my shoulders to my stomach. I ate one chocolate bar and the biggest apple in the pack. Not significant but I started feeling better. I just discovered a new phrase - to eat your weight.

I left at 0622 hrs, the odometer reading 6564 kms.

My first halt was in Dakor. Had the famous bhajiya and tea in hotel Jai Murlidhar opp the Dakor ST bus stand. Next I had to stop at a farm few kilometers ahead of Kapadwanj as good care of my back was taken by the potholes on SH59 between Kapadwanj and Modasa

I came across many potholes taking dip in most of them that I started feeling myself one among them. A child would easily disappear in one of the potholes in rainy season.

My first stop

Tropic of  Cancer on the road from Modasa to Shamlaji.

Quest for Daal Baati


I stopped at a Reliance petrol pump just after Shamlaji. I had a plate of Idli Sambhar (Rs 40 for two idlis.....). Had some exercise (a little body stretching) and left for Udaipur at 1154 hrs.The road from Shamlaji to Udaipur is a climb. There are hills on both sides, hills as far as you can see. Beautiful scenes with almost all of the hills having two or more lines of cactus or similar tree planted from peak to base of hill, similar to edges of a square prism. Purpose for the same yet to be known.

I tried to skip Udaipur but my hungry stomach and demanding palate took me there. Aha!! Daal-baati!! My mouth was already salivating. I started hunting for a Daal-Baati (DB) wala in Udaipur and reached Suraj Pole (Gate of Sun). I tried to guess taste of many DBwalas (they were at the road side just like the Sev Usal vendors in Vadodara) from the stuff on display and number of people eating there, stopping at one place only to know that he doesn't serve DB. Damn! But the adjacent one did. WOW! DB he served was 2 cooked wheat flour balls with daal and a little rice garnished with garlic chutney and fried chillies. After it I had a glass of buttermilk. Total price: Rs 12/-. Satisfied with the taste and money charged (was there any option other than being satisfied had the DB wala charged more?).

Mr. Om Prakash-Owner of the eating "joint" where I had my DB, Surajpole

I left for Nathdwara - 52kms to go.

Lenge, Lenge aur Lenge
(Only for those who work with NK in Engg dept of GCPL)


While on the way to Nathdwara a thought passed my mind. What would have NK said if he was with me?  - Just before Udaipur: "Dilip, ek kaam karte hain, hum Udaipur me lunch lenge, phir nathdwara tak non-stop drive karenge, nathdwara me halt lenge, dinner lenge aur full night rest lenge"


Change of Plan
I had decided to take halt in Nathdwara (halt lenge), A signboard "Ajmer-255 kms" put a thought in my mind - what if I reach Ajmer today itself??

Views of mountains from the road from Udaipur to Nathdwara. Udaipur lies behind these hills which I suppose are part of Aravalli Range

Nice thought!! I started calculating the time required and the strain that my body would develop while driving....Ajmer-245 kms....240 kms...."Only pitiful 240 kms.....I must go to Ajmer today," I decided. Suddenly the knowledge of having Red Bull (RB) energy drink in my luggage hit me like a thunderbolt. Wow!!! Lets try that drink. Few kilometers ahead of Nathdwara when my body won't allow me to travel a km more, I stopped, had a little rest and pulled out the RB like a prize from my bag. Aha!! I was more interested in drinking it than it helping me travel next 200 kms. I started to drive before the drink would settled in my stomach and start spreading its energy in my body thus utilizing those few minutes just before RB would start to act. Call it a psychology or actual effect of RB, I was feeling infinitely refreshed after few minutes. I had some more glucose powder when I stopped in Deogarh. Night fell while on way to Ajmer. I was driving on highway with some stretches with no vehicle in vicinity. Some time I used to switch off headlight for few seconds. I fear darkness a little and it was thrilling.

When leaving Nathdwara for Ajmer, there are stockists and line of shops on both side of road selling marble stones. These line of shops do not end for next 15 kms!

Work for making NH-8 six lane between Beawar and Ajmer was on progress. Driving on dust filled roads in night with high beam of oncoming vehicles got better of me. If ever I become a sage I will curse all those who drive their vehicles with headlights in high beam to face flash of very bright light every km they drive.

I reached Ajmer at about 2145 hrs. The hotel where I was put up (Hotel Metro Palace) was a nice place with small and clean rooms. Only minus point that I came to know after booking the room was that the bathroom cum WC was common for each floor (two nos between about 10 rooms less AC rooms as they had attached ones). But those were very clean and maintained excellently and used rarely as few guests were put up. Nice hotel for someone who is not very particular about common bathrooms.


Got up early in the morning: @ 0600 hrs. I believe that after travelling 581 kms, i.e 15 hrs of biking previous day, getting up this early is accomplishment. I visited the very famous Dargah of Ajmer Sharif. Spiritual experience!!! It is said for Ajmer and Shirdi that you can reach there only if Baba calls. Hazrat Kwajah of Ajmer Shariff called me and that's the reason I was able to reach Ajmer in a day. Cameras are not allowed in Dargah. You can keep your stuff in a cloak room at gate no 2 which is on the left side of the main entrance of Dargah. Charges Rs 7 only. You can buy a handkerchief to cover your head on the way to Dargah.

Fun of Driving on Six Lane Highway
From Ajmer to Jaipur, the road is six lane and very few curves. I was driving at about 70 kmph on that road (and I did not even have to pay toll for using the road). I had decided to stop every 50 kms but when driving on that road, I did not wish to stop and drove continuously for about 85 kms before stopping at a place just before Jaipur had some tea and glucose. When it was only 12 kms to Jaipur there is a bypass on left which I took. I took care and asked many people for the road to Agra but somehow managed to mistakenly travel 2 kms on the Delhi road. A sign board brought me to my senses and finally after asking few more people (5 times in 2 kms) I crossed "Ghat ki Guni" (GKG), a distance of mere 3 kms in 30 minutes due to traffic and reached NH-11. Signs of fatigue now started to show. I had lunch in "Shivshakti Restaurant" a dhaba on highway. Agra is 220 kms from here! Driving form Jaipur to Agra was both tiring and fun. After around 1330 hrs I was so tired that I decided to stop at the first possible place, even if below a tree or at a farm, to rest. I was driving with part of my mind analysing the passing places for their suitability to take a halt there. Then there came a dhaba on the way. It was as if a wish fulfilled. I rested a nice 1 hr on a "bed" made of rubber belts. The comfort which I felt that time would have surpassed any 5 or 7star hotel. I had two cups of tea before leaving and a dose of glucose.

"Hut" where I took rest for 1 hr

The "springy" bed

It was the thrill of reaching Agra, i.e the destination, that made the trip so lively and the glucose helped. The earth started changing colour from red/yellow to off white indicating that I am about to enter Uttar Pradesh (I don't know if my logic is true but I felt it that way). I unknowingly took the road in the market as I entered Agra. Typical of a market - narrow roads, crowded with people and constant blaring of horns made the trip from market to Idgah Bus Depo very irritating.

However, I reached "Hotel Rose Home Stay", the same place where I was put up last time I visited Agra. Nice place. Being my second visit, the hotel discounted rent.

I went to Sadar Bazaar that evening did some window shopping and had Rajma Chawal (Red kidney beans and rice, one of my favourite dishes). One observation that I made was there were very few couples. Well it was a Sunday and whole of high to medium class people of Agra seemed to pour in the bazaar, but were seen mostly in groups of same gender or with families. Maybe boys would not dare to date girls having their father in military or the couples must have found some more preferred secluded place.

Next day I went to visit Taj Mahal.

Taj Mahal! I must once again visit the building that gripped me in her beauty and gorgeousness about one and a half year ago when I first visited her. While I was walking towards the main entrance to the building, my heart beat started to increase, exactly like when I was to meet my girlfriend (now she is my wife) for second time. Oh my god! I was to come face to face again with the beautiful monument which has life to it than being just a building to me. Will she be the same as I have seen her last?

I removed my specacles for nothing should come between the beauty and my eyes. I held my breath and entered the main gate. I saw her standing on the marble base with nothing but blue sky in the background adding to its magnificience. I was awestruck once again. I took a deep breath taking in the beauty of the white structure in front of me. It seemed as she was calling me to her, asking me to take her in my arms and hold her tightly. I began to walk towards her never taking my eyes off her. She stretched out her arms and started to weep a little. What happened? I suddenly realised, she can't move. Oh no! Someone is restraining her movement, holding her. She is struggling for freedom and constantly keeps looking towards me with pleading eyes. I cannot help her. Who is it? She seemed to be held there by the forces of time, bound in chains. She can't move but even standing there still, she showers her love on me. I keep looking at her for few more moments from the raised water tank which is halfway between the main entrance and Taj Mahal. Then slowly she becomes merciless, neglecting me and standing in her beautiful posture. She is not even looking towards me. Now she starts flirting with other persons coming towards her. I keep looking at her and slowly I come out of the trance....

I am in love with that beautiful structure.

When I was sitting the central water tank I sensed some abnormal activity going on there. Well, there were two foreign girls in their early 30s wearing low neck t-shirts thus revealing part of their assets. Few people were literally swarming around them and trying to click photos in such a position as to capture the girls and their much visible asset. The girls seemed indifferent to this.

Returning
While returning I had decided to take a halt in Jaipur. I came across a sweetmeat shop making Jalebi in Agra at 0630 hrs in morning. I think the guy was using jaggery instead of sugar. Jalebi being one of my favourite sweets, I was delighted to find the shop with garma-garam jalebi. My palate satisfied, I left for Jaipur having kachori sabji and aloo paratha with daal in Bharatpur en-route. This aloo paratha with daal brought back memories of medical dhaba in Nasik while I was in college. A friendly (read bribed) guard would allow us to sneak out of our hostel premises even in the darkest hour of night and we would go to medical dhaba to eat those parathas with daal, without any guarantee of getting a transporation in either direction. If we were really lucky, a bike could be arranged provided we bring one paratha for the bike owner. At one place I stopped my bike to replenish the engine oil. But after failed attempt and a burned patch of skin I reasoned with my mind that as per servicing chart, engine oil doesn't need to be change. Satisfied, I continued my journey reaching Jaipur at around 1:00 pm. While searching for a hotel, I came across "Hawa Mahal" and decided to visit it just then.

Front face of Hawa Mahal

Right side view of city from Hawa Mahal

Left side view of city from Hawa Mahal

When inside the building I came to know that Amer Fort was just 20 minutes driove from there. So I decided to visit Amer Fort too. After completing my guided trip to Amer Fort and seeing the Lake Palace I decided skip Jaipur and reach Ajmer the very day.

My body was in fatigue and RB didn't help much. I had to stop and at an average of every 30 kms before reaching Ajmer having only fluids and one chocolate on this journey as I didn't wish to eat anything due to the pain in body, stress and fatigue. My back and bottom were in bad state.

Amer Fort as viewed from approaching road.

Place below Amer Fort where plantation of saffron from Kashmir failed. The place is now known as Kesar Baag.

A view from fort

Directions inside fort.

Lake Palace, Jaipur

A closer look

Lake Palace, Jaipur

Doodh Jalebi
I reached Ajmer in night and I took a room in the same hotel. What a comfort after such a long juorney! There was a routine police enquiry on me in the hotel. The policeman was of course surprised to know that I drove bike to Agra from Vadodara and was returning back, that too alone. After visiting Dargah again the next morning, I decided to have some local breakfast. I had "Kachori-Kadhi" and "Doodh-Jalebi". The vendors break 100 gm of Jalebi in pieces and put it in a glass of milk, mix it and offer it to the customers. Nice thing!!
I left for Udaipur at around 0930 hrs.

An interesting milestone installed just before Deogarh.

Milestone

Road Accident in Udaipur
I stopped at a corner, still on my bike, on right side of  the road just touching the highway outside Ajmer city to ask for directions. A state bus was taking a left turn at that cormer to enter Ajmer city. The driver misjudged the space and hit my bikes handle. I had to let the bike fall to prevent any more damaging contact with the bus. Well nothing happened actually. Just picked up my bike, had a little argument with the bus driver and left for Udaipur. When I was crossing Rajasmand, in front of a marble shop a tyre of a truck carrying marble blocks blasted shooting dust and small stone particles. Some came towards me. Helmet prevented any particle hitting my face but one did hit my throat and cut the skin. Two incidents already...

I had to take 3 stops to cover 50 kms between Nathdwara and Udaipur. Body fatigue made me decide that I must take a halt in Udaipur for an additional day. I saw an interesting share broker in Ghodaghati between Nathdwara and Udaipur. Have a look!

Lord Hanuman Temple in Ghodaghati

I just entered Udaipur, must have been doing at least 55 kmph. A boy approximately 12-14 yrs old was crossing the road on a scooty. I blew my horn to take a pass but the kid seemed not to be good at making decisions. He brought his scooty in middle of the road and stopped. I decided to cross him from right side and as I reached near him he too decided to cross the road and moved forward to my right. I realised I am going to hit him. I didn't had enough distance and time to stop my bike and I did hit the scooty. The energy of bike threw me away from it. I saw the road relatively taking a somersault and then hit it on head. The road was moving speedily just before my eyes and then I heard the sound of helmet hitting the road and I said to myself, "Thanks for wearing the helmet". After that every thing happened so fast that I only found myself  being helped by people to stand up. Someone picked up my bike. I lost my orientation and people had to tell me which way I was going. Had it not been for the helmet my left side hair and scalp would have scrapped to unbearable extent and I would have to spend atleast half a day with doctor/hospital. Now that kid had only a scratch on his body and nothing happened to his scooty. I had my skin cut and scrapped at 3 place on my left arm. Great!!!

There were two doctors both closed at time of day. A bike mechanics shop was just at the place of accident. He repaired my bike in Rs 80/- i.e. straightening the handle, replacing the rear left indicator bulb, aligning the displaced headlight and changing the oil (labour only) in about 1/2 hr.

Nasruddin Saudagar, bike mechanic. My bike can be seen in background.

Hotel Giriraj in Udaipur where I took my room was splendid. It was someones bungalow converted into a hotel. It had large rooms (atleast the one I got at 600/- per night). In the evening, I went to a place called "Apni Dhani" (Our Village) on the Ahmedabad by-pass (traveling through the same route on which I had my accident). It was a nice place (charges Rs 250/- per head) with a small zoo, few dance shows, magic and puppet show and to top it all, it had delicious Rajasthani food, unlimited of course.

Entrance to "Apni Dhani"

Inhabitants of the "zoo", except that human form

Viewers area - Dance Show

Made from wood

The food was splendid. Bajre ki Roti, Baati, Daal, Gatte ki Sabzi, Kadhi, Khicdi, Makhan, Garlic chutney etc etc. And in sweet they had "Jalebi"...Yummmm...The taste still lingers on my tounge. They were serving so genereously, I wish I had a larger appetite.

Next day I went to Fatehsagar lake. It's a large man-made lake and was literally overflowing with water.

Fatehsagar lake's boundary. You can see the water crossing the barricade made and trying to come on road.

Fatehsagar Lake - Overflowing

I returned by noon and slept throughout the remaining day. Next morning at 0530 hrs I left for Vadodara

Visit to Dakor
I have decided to visit Dakor temple while returning to Vadodara. I took a shortcut route to Dakor by-passing Kapadwanj. I will always remember this grave mistake that I made. The road on short-cut route was in worst condition a road could ever be. It could have been easily qualified as a testing rig for jumpers of a large vehicle. I knocked off 7 kms but was neve able to increase my speed above 30 kmph. Thank God it didn't rain or I would have drowned with my bike in one of the pot holes on that road. I regret not taking a picture of that road.

I reached Dakor in the afternoon at aroung 1:00 pm. After having darshan, I bought four packets( 1/2 kg each) of the famous bhajiya's flour. It was a mentally tough journey after Dakor for there was nothing left in the trip and my body would ache greatly.

As I reached NH-8, I had had lunch in a hotel on the highway. After satisfying my stomach I kicked my bike and started my remaining 25 km journey to my home in Vadodara.

On the way I saw signboards mentioning Mumbai - 480 kms....

 
STATS
Distance Traveled: 2107 kms
Total driving hours: 53.5 hrs
Average speed: 39.38 km/hr
No of days: 7
Amount spent (including souvenirs bought): Rs 9361
Fun: Unlimited