tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20614494959716009542024-03-05T17:22:12.054+05:30The Bad Bad Bike Blogaalapdavjekarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16172468447033618047noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2061449495971600954.post-16634364664452443312010-12-20T21:20:00.000+05:302010-12-20T21:20:28.678+05:30A Year on the Road...It's been a whole year since I embarked on my first ever motorcycle trip. Yes, the one that changed my life forever; the one that got me into travelling, photography and paved way for pretty much everything I did in 2010. At the pinnacle of my travelling experience (so far), a few months ago, I found myself on a boat in the Kerala backwaters with six amazing people who I wouldn't have met if it hadn't been for my first rally. I had, for the lack of a better term, a spiritual experience. Not only did it make me want to refuse a 9-5 life, but it encouraged me to simply live out of a suitcase, for as long as possible.<br />
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Who knows where life will take me in a year's time, but for now, I want to look back on this incredible year. <i>35,000km</i> later, here are the best places I've been to, the worst, the most amazing experiences, the things I learnt; all combined in one little blog:<br />
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<b>The Best Places I've Been To</b><br />
<br />
<i><b></b>Udaipur</i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6fvnKfzM0iB6tmKgJNSw5fzTuVb-fJLTMt0JTQl-nbNgbnn9fwsUXd4bahc1DwJT_bHOtbvq7D5M20FuH75pDlFA79eCye-SVHgRPBxGqhi1qmPDwcwLk5Y6QcZy8hoXoAsSVkCtbIfo/s1600/Udaipur.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6fvnKfzM0iB6tmKgJNSw5fzTuVb-fJLTMt0JTQl-nbNgbnn9fwsUXd4bahc1DwJT_bHOtbvq7D5M20FuH75pDlFA79eCye-SVHgRPBxGqhi1qmPDwcwLk5Y6QcZy8hoXoAsSVkCtbIfo/s320/Udaipur.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><blockquote>Still my favourite city of all time, Udaipur is, simply put, amazing. From the roof top restaurants to the romantic old city lanes, Udaipur's a charm. There are so many places to see, from the palaces to the gardens to the lakes, the old forts and the nearby Aravalis. I spent just about five days in total there this year and I couldn't even see a tiny portion but I still fell in love with it.</blockquote><i>Kerala</i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCeX3K9uiZdZpDF7YAqh_CCfFlMqxxyzDmivywPfJVg0pz4NhSParsNiTLF52nJxfWkM1-NhJfLQetRJhOKjaQtQiYPbIHhlmxemN6yBDCSXieyYOYDPV5HrKjDdnYMhBNOR221zBxdD0/s1600/Fish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCeX3K9uiZdZpDF7YAqh_CCfFlMqxxyzDmivywPfJVg0pz4NhSParsNiTLF52nJxfWkM1-NhJfLQetRJhOKjaQtQiYPbIHhlmxemN6yBDCSXieyYOYDPV5HrKjDdnYMhBNOR221zBxdD0/s320/Fish.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><blockquote>Remember I was talking about the spiritual experience before? It can't happen without a night out on a boat in the middle of a beautiful place called Kerala. Go to <a href="http://maps.google.co.in/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Allepey,+Kerala&sll=9.503244,76.552734&sspn=0.553966,0.891953&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Alappuzha,+Kerala&ll=9.492408,76.438065&spn=0.553983,0.891953&z=11">Allapey</a>, near Ernakulam. Find a boat, which is not that hard considering they're everywhere! The boat's cheap if you go with a lot of people and split the bill, but in any case, it is more than worth it.</blockquote><blockquote>But if you still can't afford the boat, go to <a href="http://maps.google.co.in/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Cherai+beach,+Kerala&sll=10.134919,76.195507&sspn=0.069114,0.111494&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Cherai+Beach,+Cherai+Beach+-+Munambam+Rd,+Vypin,+Ernakulam,+Kerala&ll=10.141932,76.202202&spn=0.138225,0.222988&z=13">Cherai beach</a> near Cochin. If you're even more adventurous, go in the middle of the monsoons, like I did. The rain will freeze your butt, but as soon as you get into the water, you'll understand exactly what those Kerala tourism advertisements keep shouting about.</blockquote><i>Mulshi</i><br />
<blockquote>Why <a href="http://maps.google.co.in/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Mulshi,+Maharashtra&sll=19.959151,73.742981&sspn=1.055866,1.783905&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Mulshi,+Pune,+Maharashtra&ll=18.487424,73.486176&spn=0.532688,0.891953&z=11">Mulshi</a>, you ask? It's just 40km from Pune and it's just a reservoir. Well, you have to go during the monsoons, and it'll be even better if you take a friend called Ellis Dee with you. =)</blockquote><i></i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmrlLX1yW0aaTjWzy_GwPUQW7E-fLgACNI7gCA92doylXq_5TU4V823zY-Rk8dvkR2A8Zqhktmg53FXpPFovB8vCQe5HiWzXQTqlcTAWW8OIWhDgp5RgI-N6yZXgDWk4mXHCww4olzm_E/s1600/Mulshi+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmrlLX1yW0aaTjWzy_GwPUQW7E-fLgACNI7gCA92doylXq_5TU4V823zY-Rk8dvkR2A8Zqhktmg53FXpPFovB8vCQe5HiWzXQTqlcTAWW8OIWhDgp5RgI-N6yZXgDWk4mXHCww4olzm_E/s320/Mulshi+%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHp2Jr7GX9w5JnXGmYEiiV4en7Qep6X91ND4PKxQ3CiTbqCaJFSI2OVWZTE7sPjc8FvTWWl6gmv6yvIkoTeT1P0ASO-DSqqIc1idkyUHkICkVeQOIEjdlQ_TnHNtR7Iniqk9JFS_t0_IA/s1600/Mulshi+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHp2Jr7GX9w5JnXGmYEiiV4en7Qep6X91ND4PKxQ3CiTbqCaJFSI2OVWZTE7sPjc8FvTWWl6gmv6yvIkoTeT1P0ASO-DSqqIc1idkyUHkICkVeQOIEjdlQ_TnHNtR7Iniqk9JFS_t0_IA/s320/Mulshi+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><blockquote style="text-align: center;"> That's exactly what I saw.</blockquote><b>Most Amazing Experience</b><br />
<blockquote>The whole month of December 2009 was an amazing experience because of the rally I was on, but if I were to narrow it down to one day then it would be the ride from Bhopal to Chhindwara. It was about 300km and took 12 hours to finish, but by the time we reached our destination, it grew very dark. If you've never been to Madhya Pradesh, then believe me, when the sun goes down, it's pitch black. There are no other vehicles on state highways but an occasional passing truck. All we could see were the tail lamps of the bikes in front and the head lights of our trail vehicle.</blockquote><blockquote>Suddenly I happened to glance at the night sky and I was blown out of my mind. It was the most beautiful sky I had <i>ever</i> seen. The distant, setting moon glowed orange in the horizon, which only added to beauty of the moment. The winding roads eventually turned into ghats and we found ourselves at the mercy of the lead vehicle since our headlights were no match for these roads. 60kmph was still too fast on blind turns. Thankfully there was no other traffic.</blockquote><blockquote>We passed through villages which seemed like ghost towns from the total absence of any people to seen. Some of us were freezing, some kept warm from the brutal excitement that the ride had to offer and some who, after we reached Chhindwara, wanted to just turn around and do it all over again. You can guess which category I fit into.</blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9rWUCps2KHIPwGUAi9jvpvrVdKsFCndAK3oaL0GzfzRXr_UxL4Gm7OZXtlesO6or1fN-VUWp313NaaPYhjfoM_lJesNabkBZ9QjFMBRYKo-1uZSmIuZeU6y7WHIcQnAwrQnwHNRq9L4Q/s1600/Ride+into+Buldhana.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9rWUCps2KHIPwGUAi9jvpvrVdKsFCndAK3oaL0GzfzRXr_UxL4Gm7OZXtlesO6or1fN-VUWp313NaaPYhjfoM_lJesNabkBZ9QjFMBRYKo-1uZSmIuZeU6y7WHIcQnAwrQnwHNRq9L4Q/s400/Ride+into+Buldhana.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><blockquote> The Pan India Rally was another 'religious' experience, but one that I've written nothing about. Perhaps I got so depressed after the rally got over, that I just didn't feel like writing. What do you do after you spend 35 days on the road with 11 amazing people and suddenly you find yourself at home with nothing to do?</blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTPKyKLMrJvuMH2d7FkS66niuRCmJ0JlG4bqk0dmcFwJKAY4rcyKTORLuUf7FDHBfBp3P-TWt2lckznl3x9wBSjS3p2A4TB64TQOTpKd7II8XKDx2V0bcbnr05R5gWvaxjDgVGA5FL7CE/s1600/IMG_0875.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTPKyKLMrJvuMH2d7FkS66niuRCmJ0JlG4bqk0dmcFwJKAY4rcyKTORLuUf7FDHBfBp3P-TWt2lckznl3x9wBSjS3p2A4TB64TQOTpKd7II8XKDx2V0bcbnr05R5gWvaxjDgVGA5FL7CE/s320/IMG_0875.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<b>The Worst Places I've Been To</b><br />
<i>Gujarat</i><br />
<blockquote>Under no circumstances should you go there, unless dry heat, barrenness and boredom is what you're looking for. The Gir sanctuary in the west and the <i>Kutcch </i>are the only interesting places here, but apart from that, National Highway 8 is a straight road for over 600km(!) with no sights along the way. It's the best highway in India, but unless you're in a Porsche 911, it's going to suck your energy dry.</blockquote><i>Maharashtra</i><br />
<blockquote>This comes as no surprise, since I've lived here my whole life and I'm bored of it already. I've seen pretty much everything, from the Arabian Sea in the west to the <i>Vidharbha </i>region in the east. <a href="http://maps.google.co.in/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Nasik,+Maharashtra&sll=22.669779,71.608887&sspn=4.01878,7.13562&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Nashik,+Maharashtra&ll=19.959151,73.742981&spn=1.055866,1.783905&z=10">Nashik</a> is pretty much the most interesting places and only because the Sula vineyard exists nearby. (Not counting Mulshi, Murud and some of the beaches on the coast).</blockquote><b>Things I've Learnt Along The Way</b><br />
<blockquote><i>Just keep travelling.</i> Life will take its own course and you never know where you'll end up. You'll be surprised at how much you change after a single night out on the road you haven't been on before. My favourite thing is to find a beautiful isolated beach right next to an overcrowded commercial tourist spot. Which brings me to my next point:</blockquote><blockquote><i>Don't be a tourist. </i>Be a traveler instead. There's a difference. A tourist goes in search of a destination, while a traveler seeks a journey.</blockquote><blockquote>Tamil Nadu has the best '<i>roads to sights</i>' ratio. By that, I mean while I haven't seen a single pot hole in TN, I've seen some of the most amazing places there. Usually in Maharashtra, the better a place looks, the worse the roads can get.</blockquote><blockquote><i>Carry a camera</i>, always. Even if you think you suck as a photographer, you might regret not taking home a single picture from your escapades.</blockquote><blockquote>And most importantly, make sure you're prepared. Helmets make good sense. I know they're heavy and most of us don't even own one. Think of them as condoms - they're very effective in the long run.</blockquote><blockquote>Your odometer speaks volumes about what you've done. If nothing else, at least you'll have a great story to share with future generations. Just remember to get off that chair soon enough, fellow traveler! </blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuQnjsoDXcEA_8KxGMmsn6FjCK2TYLPl399shE5F7kDSQXmjiArKkj35HwTggylV0R5iYp766Winu8ZxILb0Ts5H1-QJxWsTOzYGzSjS1_y1zSQK5fYD_v_JUvuIefjKwCCRZPcqnp0IE/s1600/Me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuQnjsoDXcEA_8KxGMmsn6FjCK2TYLPl399shE5F7kDSQXmjiArKkj35HwTggylV0R5iYp766Winu8ZxILb0Ts5H1-QJxWsTOzYGzSjS1_y1zSQK5fYD_v_JUvuIefjKwCCRZPcqnp0IE/s320/Me.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<i></i>aalapdavjekarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16172468447033618047noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2061449495971600954.post-13593126711317561192010-08-16T15:12:00.000+05:302010-08-16T15:12:31.131+05:30Alibag, Murud and the Golden SunsetThe first bike trip I did since coming back Mangalore. The rains have finally taken a break and I can resume my travels without any water worries!<br />
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Two days ago, I rode to Bombay to a friend's place where I met up with a few of my IBR buddies. We had a bike trip ahead. Destination: ? So after giving it no thought at all we just decided to get on our bikes and ride till we were hungry. So we promptly starved ourselves for a good 5 hours.<br />
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NH17 was the best option; riding south along the coast always is. We found ourselves at <a href="http://maps.google.co.in/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Alibag+&sll=18.312811,72.957802&sspn=0.281933,0.445976&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Alibag,+Raigad,+Maharashtra&ll=18.657874,72.86725&spn=0.070342,0.111494&z=14">Alibag </a>in two hours and decided to get lost, which is always a good idea in an unfamiliar place since you never know what you might stumble on to. Stumble we did, and came across a small fishing village a little outside Alibag. And the pier had a spectacular view.<br />
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There were these kids there, having a good time, curious about us foreigners and eager to get their pictures clicked...<br />
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After searching for a way out, we rode till we were even more hungry, further down south to this place called <a href="http://maps.google.co.in/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&q=Murud,+Raigad,+Maharashtra&ie=UTF8&cd=2&geocode=FTSJFwEdUkhZBA&split=0&sll=18.405846,76.239222&sspn=0.042351,0.06403&hq=&hnear=Murud,+Raigad,+Maharashtra&ll=18.312811,72.957802&spn=0.281933,0.445976&z=12">Murud</a>. It was around 5pm and sunset was close. We stopped, finally for some food and clicked a few pictures of this spectacular evening at the beach.<br />
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It was one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen. So glad and so lucky we came here! Thank the universe for some awesome company as well!<br />
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Toodles!aalapdavjekarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16172468447033618047noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2061449495971600954.post-73189917245351403422010-06-21T00:29:00.000+05:302010-06-21T00:29:37.560+05:30Mangalore and the Art of PreparationWhat I recently realised after making the fateful decision to brave the Indian monsoons and take a trip to <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Mangalore&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Mangalore,+Dakshina+Kannada,+Karnataka,+India&ll=12.861678,74.878006&spn=0.255383,0.445976&z=12&iwloc=A">Mangalore</a>, is that you can never be too prepared for anything. But that's me talking like I'm 50. I'm never prepared; just enough to avoid the worst. Worst here is breaking a few bones, taking a few blows to the head, maybe even getting yourself killed if the road hates you that much. Well, I've never broken a bone. Not in my entire life. I don't know how, even when I fell, right knee first, on to the side of the NH17 a few minutes after crossing <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Karwar&sll=12.861678,74.878006&sspn=0.255383,0.445976&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Karwar,+Uttara+Kannada,+Karnataka,+India&ll=14.817039,74.127846&spn=0.126622,0.222988&z=13">Karwar</a>, with the weight of my bike, six kilos of baggage and sixty kilos of myself. My knee is lucky to have just three stitches stitching together whatever flesh still left inside after the jagged rocks cut it open like they were trying to chop tomatoes. Quite the sight.<br />
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Funny thing is, ('funny' being something I completely made up) I found out much later that it was such a deep cut. I had assumed (due to the fact that I was wearing a pair of jeans and then a raincoat, so there was no room for a peek) at the accident and for five hours and 250km afterwards that it was but a small scratch. But when I suddenly gave in to my curiosity and stretched the hole in my jeans enough to see the slimy soup inside, I panicked. Women giving birth would not understand the pain that overwhelmed me at the moment when I came to terms with the existence of an extra opening on my body.<br />
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So three stitches, a thousand more kilometres and five days later, here I am talking about being prepared. Well, you never can be. The only way to be completely prepared is to foresee the future and plan accordingly. Have you heard about the guy who sees himself breaking a bone a week in advance? Well, neither have I.<br />
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I think it's about time I invested in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sixsixone-Evo-Knee-Pad-X-Large/dp/B001GSQQ1W?ie=UTF8&tag=the0744-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">knee pads</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=the0744-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001GSQQ1W" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7uk2t-SG8PZXETPjjgQzSSbM5BTO5wLPU6Ac9DRVitb3F7bLqLCIX33XnTISPgdGqmSmngtjfJjARptMq4HNE9Od4IFGY2cyzgcPhjn6dMpLP6lqMLGPAYlv3x9z0I-ZAQFGuf3t5v6k/s1600/IMG_0740.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7uk2t-SG8PZXETPjjgQzSSbM5BTO5wLPU6Ac9DRVitb3F7bLqLCIX33XnTISPgdGqmSmngtjfJjARptMq4HNE9Od4IFGY2cyzgcPhjn6dMpLP6lqMLGPAYlv3x9z0I-ZAQFGuf3t5v6k/s320/IMG_0740.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Monks at Bylakuppe, where a Tibetan monastery stands with three gold plated statues of the Buddha and his kin.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAbZBE69uYCRKFtcaa7wo3_YaDF7pzOUKb3-caI_zzzN7W_jJxtYNVSXKM_JKIkINXbaQ6-aGNqxedEIsl45pi1FOjExVEJBEA1DuUgQv8SKfr2KAnu9juEFBdtjt6DBjXtw-w6mdI6yE/s1600/IMG_0734.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAbZBE69uYCRKFtcaa7wo3_YaDF7pzOUKb3-caI_zzzN7W_jJxtYNVSXKM_JKIkINXbaQ6-aGNqxedEIsl45pi1FOjExVEJBEA1DuUgQv8SKfr2KAnu9juEFBdtjt6DBjXtw-w6mdI6yE/s320/IMG_0734.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Bylakuppe at its greenest.</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1iLtOs4etgZPeb_zE3_EO96UzNSu94r7gS62LqpOy7CKz_MXhULln9KnG_xu5TJRCjRoa30ThbzjluReIiElEsXm9YOBKjKnxRqktMiaBpnI95snK2TtWyfGkvD6_RO90u9nqe-Io-NI/s1600/IMG_0728.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1iLtOs4etgZPeb_zE3_EO96UzNSu94r7gS62LqpOy7CKz_MXhULln9KnG_xu5TJRCjRoa30ThbzjluReIiElEsXm9YOBKjKnxRqktMiaBpnI95snK2TtWyfGkvD6_RO90u9nqe-Io-NI/s320/IMG_0728.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJuZspSWTXQH3RE2hAoAmL52QkZuNZNUcWGRFs73Get2x4BWblOhl9shUB_IjdwjCRcdxCIjfWOHrqRpsqb1Hopmsi6PEh86iZHYaAWdkBSijWHHV7QCUCtWmbbLOmSYJ-vPRrUUBIoK4/s1600/IMG_0769.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJuZspSWTXQH3RE2hAoAmL52QkZuNZNUcWGRFs73Get2x4BWblOhl9shUB_IjdwjCRcdxCIjfWOHrqRpsqb1Hopmsi6PEh86iZHYaAWdkBSijWHHV7QCUCtWmbbLOmSYJ-vPRrUUBIoK4/s320/IMG_0769.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Abbey falls, near Madikeri.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ1k0v9ftMwziMOWafHwlg_x4mzkLSBdkwO82-XZNWbpX96Ot947qQ1KsxKr-At1FYdZugakCPrzotm8NRdpwJwhzNu9PjNcZaDyC-4eVQ0g_uLpK4Tb-9M0IYHVhbbPwnemRzAXjjuh4/s1600/DSC05993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ1k0v9ftMwziMOWafHwlg_x4mzkLSBdkwO82-XZNWbpX96Ot947qQ1KsxKr-At1FYdZugakCPrzotm8NRdpwJwhzNu9PjNcZaDyC-4eVQ0g_uLpK4Tb-9M0IYHVhbbPwnemRzAXjjuh4/s320/DSC05993.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Mangalore coastline.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidkFi2Q3jcFB7aUFMK091nWZC1492k9ZwrjpQ6MdZpOImaKgAWmtq0Hh68gtwH_caSHU_63YfPNXjVbHp73gWmsWB0UlMGuoCenjCZ-nuqp9WajQj3Bv9WnmbuYvDB4xo3oS3GzeZv25k/s1600/DSC05994.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidkFi2Q3jcFB7aUFMK091nWZC1492k9ZwrjpQ6MdZpOImaKgAWmtq0Hh68gtwH_caSHU_63YfPNXjVbHp73gWmsWB0UlMGuoCenjCZ-nuqp9WajQj3Bv9WnmbuYvDB4xo3oS3GzeZv25k/s320/DSC05994.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwd4VXu2wXi6dSXzH4x_QslZ3-xaYt0tqoCYB3tyNoX9HIUacsyAlYf_PCZBwWDixRpsVp-dypg0HcNJ35MfTeRBaEcrejM9X8OqHtGQPujySHE-HN6NQ7ocWW3HkSy0QIFNggZEAD5CE/s1600/IMG_0809.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwd4VXu2wXi6dSXzH4x_QslZ3-xaYt0tqoCYB3tyNoX9HIUacsyAlYf_PCZBwWDixRpsVp-dypg0HcNJ35MfTeRBaEcrejM9X8OqHtGQPujySHE-HN6NQ7ocWW3HkSy0QIFNggZEAD5CE/s320/IMG_0809.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Thilak took me to his backyard river spot.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT_rHaB6R02ykggdgUuDHQcEXnxwQPzII6Ttc-IFR_e4GrRgvklaWaegQBYQZeQ_Cd1HLTRXSi-54bLXnkpv6E6xWWSymqFvcL49HuEFEKVhLHdo18816R7BCTf7HwISMZtrebKOsjIOE/s1600/IMG_0810.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT_rHaB6R02ykggdgUuDHQcEXnxwQPzII6Ttc-IFR_e4GrRgvklaWaegQBYQZeQ_Cd1HLTRXSi-54bLXnkpv6E6xWWSymqFvcL49HuEFEKVhLHdo18816R7BCTf7HwISMZtrebKOsjIOE/s320/IMG_0810.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The 250cc Kawasaki Ninja I borrowed. Put a huge smile on my face.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizAB4JyILYC4TgwqtpnBu1V3RBnv82se4v9zdo8jW7poR9QVaYsxkZijvbz2zU0_HX_-hoZ5Ikw3v15pU2fj4QDhgXvZh0iXJtK9iQdaocz1wzx-dPnqwZHFrFuI0mUaLEEXNailHf3cE/s1600/DSC06005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizAB4JyILYC4TgwqtpnBu1V3RBnv82se4v9zdo8jW7poR9QVaYsxkZijvbz2zU0_HX_-hoZ5Ikw3v15pU2fj4QDhgXvZh0iXJtK9iQdaocz1wzx-dPnqwZHFrFuI0mUaLEEXNailHf3cE/s320/DSC06005.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">On the way back to Pune, I stopped at <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=turtle+bay,+karnataka&sll=13.09971,74.815521&sspn=0.127569,0.222988&ie=UTF8&hq=turtle+bay,+karnataka&hnear=&ll=13.701697,74.65961&spn=0.031813,0.055747&t=h&z=15">Turtle Bay</a>. This is a rare spot where you'll come across the sea on one side of the road and a river on the other. Try the bread omelette at one of the many shacks as well.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Riding 850km in a single day is pretty tasking. The 400km mark is when your body starts aching slightly. At 500km your back starts to feel uncomfortable and your butt just cannot take it anymore, even with frequent breaks. At 700km you feel exhausted and your focus slowing starts to limit itself to what is immediately in front of you on the road. 800km and if you haven't had a good night's sleep the night before, you're going to pay for it here. This is also the time when you've probably spent a good 12-15 hours on the bike and so much time spent concentrating takes its toll. If you find yourself with a flat tire in the middle of nowhere at this time, good luck.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Thankfully, I got bored and sleepy only 50km before I reached. Patience is a tough thing to find as the kilometres fly by slower and slower. Not to worry though, there are certain things that have made my life easier while on the road that I'll share:</div><blockquote>I find listening to music an effective way to combat sleep. If you don't have noise cancellation headphones, it is much safer though because at night you need your ears on the road as well.</blockquote><blockquote>Naps help quite a bit. Just take a detour off the highway to find a nice quiet spot under a tree where there's no traffic and get some shut-eye for half an hour.</blockquote><blockquote>If you are as loony as I am, you'd try talking to yourself too.</blockquote><blockquote>Make sure you don't skip meals. Eat, but don't eat too much. Not eating right is the main reason for tiredness, at least for me it is.</blockquote><blockquote>Hydrate yourself. Even in the monsoons, water is very necessary. If you get dizzy on a bike at high speeds, the rest of the way is not going to be a very fun experience.</blockquote>There, that should keep you alive for another few years more. Thank me later, I'm off to sleep.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1eo9vjn1Jo0RdlHv4pYpoH8unOmunuekPRRLOYY_VRIid4j6egZORCrWilXz3SeEG_CVfmtxgbBqdyM5XfaKa8-3Vdc4gyCrFXrHUYlg5yFD1idkVa76uRWR7lp-ToIZTGULkX0XKsxE/s1600/IMG_0783.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1eo9vjn1Jo0RdlHv4pYpoH8unOmunuekPRRLOYY_VRIid4j6egZORCrWilXz3SeEG_CVfmtxgbBqdyM5XfaKa8-3Vdc4gyCrFXrHUYlg5yFD1idkVa76uRWR7lp-ToIZTGULkX0XKsxE/s320/IMG_0783.JPG" /></a></div>aalapdavjekarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16172468447033618047noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2061449495971600954.post-77788780694294933872010-06-17T00:07:00.000+05:302010-06-17T00:07:16.536+05:30Pune to GoaIf you're ever stuck in the monsoon rains in the middle of nowhere on a bike, cold, hungry and lost, this would not be a post that would really help you in anyway, because I've never been cold, hungry and lost all at the same. In fact, this is not even about being cold, hungry and lost. This is about how awesome a ride Pune to Goa is... when it's NOT raining. However, if you are cold, hungry and lost at the moment, I suggest you set your tires on fire and eat your map instead.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-zQKX5AGCN5_RQizYPCehlSVQxIBKP61C4k0ybPB5c4W9tfhU3sI7kDWzflku4is0JkpeLxZsVnjJahgP-1znYLrOENMQ9UUN_CdZSgOYIMrKrGpxQTwYBMg0bw0nO8M6VhE3mzSdk74/s1600/IMG_0524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-zQKX5AGCN5_RQizYPCehlSVQxIBKP61C4k0ybPB5c4W9tfhU3sI7kDWzflku4is0JkpeLxZsVnjJahgP-1znYLrOENMQ9UUN_CdZSgOYIMrKrGpxQTwYBMg0bw0nO8M6VhE3mzSdk74/s320/IMG_0524.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVca9ZUKa_zux2MuXf6LY8QkO2bBVIW0CtsXO5nTxsmigjFf3QYjxbE4hsyDBAruRroIMSM946kunBZUseC94cJZ9ay9akObp6K9n6a-teCQUHfKgCeggupdzra8v6hKFrQ-ec3xkEjpo/s1600/IMG_0520.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVca9ZUKa_zux2MuXf6LY8QkO2bBVIW0CtsXO5nTxsmigjFf3QYjxbE4hsyDBAruRroIMSM946kunBZUseC94cJZ9ay9akObp6K9n6a-teCQUHfKgCeggupdzra8v6hKFrQ-ec3xkEjpo/s320/IMG_0520.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMBzBPLAFBJSRtvNeeZ5d0c_a1Y9D_e9Mv1swjRTxCW2RuWzzUdMixwSSikQtsP2qSxM23Eoqi-8jHbPeLdmryxAi3LKJ34uON_RUlGu6cjqAHQ-HjqE8nv6XxSh6YNmsbLm6kVs1fpY4/s1600/IMG_0518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMBzBPLAFBJSRtvNeeZ5d0c_a1Y9D_e9Mv1swjRTxCW2RuWzzUdMixwSSikQtsP2qSxM23Eoqi-8jHbPeLdmryxAi3LKJ34uON_RUlGu6cjqAHQ-HjqE8nv6XxSh6YNmsbLm6kVs1fpY4/s320/IMG_0518.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4DhAd2MSDEAgoc83kSvw_PCeNCzR1NpV3mB8-Mx_JjUPxNgzlbpV7DkU1x6zQhmbGMKHVqMJF02OE7DMGLYpRU82Ye_QBwIxRtVIkOjct-Oqt7YapCiWzooaeRgArLlg7zXKLso5JSW4/s1600/IMG_0516.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4DhAd2MSDEAgoc83kSvw_PCeNCzR1NpV3mB8-Mx_JjUPxNgzlbpV7DkU1x6zQhmbGMKHVqMJF02OE7DMGLYpRU82Ye_QBwIxRtVIkOjct-Oqt7YapCiWzooaeRgArLlg7zXKLso5JSW4/s320/IMG_0516.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpBT32HSOFeaa8CPOlWEybnNrpHsKsChJdu6tTgU9BEEp9aKfsxZaHicHs1x-8X9lj47ILKebntkYcrS3ufh5Lf8pREuwgC-uNQauIM36gGe7TwhRSImnwX6V-m-0mRhN8BM2vCcWYG74/s1600/IMG_0527.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpBT32HSOFeaa8CPOlWEybnNrpHsKsChJdu6tTgU9BEEp9aKfsxZaHicHs1x-8X9lj47ILKebntkYcrS3ufh5Lf8pREuwgC-uNQauIM36gGe7TwhRSImnwX6V-m-0mRhN8BM2vCcWYG74/s320/IMG_0527.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Of course it wasn't all scenic pictures. Here's my cousin after his Hindu right of passage aka Munji ceremony: <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZpPqYp-Kz-XnzSpNC0mCamUcRuvjghqsLk7a2B2MarH4scvhbDy3fCYvxbNpaee1Lcdxj-zn7lHkTLOO-1dx0q6dVzI_MCIKeWg6OOAVHj_xHZ2UqqJuTognfORT2HZFxScbA9QjeIuo/s1600/IMG_0533.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZpPqYp-Kz-XnzSpNC0mCamUcRuvjghqsLk7a2B2MarH4scvhbDy3fCYvxbNpaee1Lcdxj-zn7lHkTLOO-1dx0q6dVzI_MCIKeWg6OOAVHj_xHZ2UqqJuTognfORT2HZFxScbA9QjeIuo/s320/IMG_0533.JPG" /></a></div>aalapdavjekarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16172468447033618047noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2061449495971600954.post-57042566025084452412010-05-30T04:48:00.000+05:302010-05-30T04:48:15.944+05:30Guthrie Govan concert in Mumbai<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSpg-HV5k_S18l4pbyeXYO_OlvP0uFTuSPibZKkiYCLs1cCBDKZmoxOfBf4oJbwS2Uk15lL40HVda20mApmBV_ffnOSI_3XgNe_gBmbae1vUfgKe0vgCIVN0zkqaOSIGWySlpqS9GQPCI/s1600/IMG_0434.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSpg-HV5k_S18l4pbyeXYO_OlvP0uFTuSPibZKkiYCLs1cCBDKZmoxOfBf4oJbwS2Uk15lL40HVda20mApmBV_ffnOSI_3XgNe_gBmbae1vUfgKe0vgCIVN0zkqaOSIGWySlpqS9GQPCI/s320/IMG_0434.JPG" /></a></div>From the moment I got the email from Bhargava's telling me about the gig, I knew I couldn't afford to miss perhaps the only chance I'd get to see one of the world's greatest guitar players live. And it was a free concert too. The four hours just flew by, and Guthrie blew my mind away with every note he picked with his god-like technique and virtuosity. It's been a night I will never forget. I even managed to get a picture with him to savour all the pretty memories.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZtKRsMkCIuuBzRG9_8mJYu4KeSTtMS0oZXd43GUyhR8UF1TMV6c0L_W2U8_LxH88-NfZetP45MVS3-HfaYfh6R1Jdy6j6oROHEL2R7xu4P0H0DLf3hrIc2dLcvYRgWAB0eqKwovASOtc/s1600/IMG_0409.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZtKRsMkCIuuBzRG9_8mJYu4KeSTtMS0oZXd43GUyhR8UF1TMV6c0L_W2U8_LxH88-NfZetP45MVS3-HfaYfh6R1Jdy6j6oROHEL2R7xu4P0H0DLf3hrIc2dLcvYRgWAB0eqKwovASOtc/s400/IMG_0409.JPG" width="253" /></a></div>I still can't believe I saw the man live and met him in the flesh. What a fantastic weekend, literally! I am very content with the universe today. =)<br />
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To end the perfect day, I went for a drive with my cousin to <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Nariman+Point&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Nariman+Point,+Mumbai,+Maharashtra,+India&z=15">Nariman Point</a> and managed to click the Queen's Necklace in it's sparkling yellow beauty.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioGxrNqaKLZsO2xxrPr-KciOHRSm8lPmMLcWKgBJOIgZ0U-sNkrmzQYajP_dy6lZf7178UbxbETdopv7ll8D2WOfPJo5X7mhIFKQykc0rxuCuyI_CHAnhA2tj6XU29jE7eiTD-vOPISao/s1600/IMG_0465.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioGxrNqaKLZsO2xxrPr-KciOHRSm8lPmMLcWKgBJOIgZ0U-sNkrmzQYajP_dy6lZf7178UbxbETdopv7ll8D2WOfPJo5X7mhIFKQykc0rxuCuyI_CHAnhA2tj6XU29jE7eiTD-vOPISao/s320/IMG_0465.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioGxrNqaKLZsO2xxrPr-KciOHRSm8lPmMLcWKgBJOIgZ0U-sNkrmzQYajP_dy6lZf7178UbxbETdopv7ll8D2WOfPJo5X7mhIFKQykc0rxuCuyI_CHAnhA2tj6XU29jE7eiTD-vOPISao/s1600/IMG_0465.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>I wish I could stay in this wonderful city a while longer and attend Gino Banks' drum workshop in Furtado's tomorrow, but unfortunately I have a jam session at 4pm in Pune so maybe next time. Here's to a lovely day! Thank you Guthrie Govan. =)</div>aalapdavjekarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16172468447033618047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2061449495971600954.post-10703320152234211432010-05-27T16:26:00.001+05:302010-05-30T04:49:53.072+05:30AlibagTook an early morning (4am) trip, yesterday to <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=alibag&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Alibag,+Raigad,+Maharashtra,+India&ll=18.655491,72.86792&spn=0.496382,0.891953&z=11">Alibag</a> and some other places nearby. I managed to catch a beautiful sunrise and a whole bunch of pre-monsoonal bliss. It did rain a little bit but it was very welcome. NH17 is always a pleasure!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqy6IAih4Qy_5Guhd7yN351SwVwoSlUCqPVPtQKdOth8EfoIjnUMtvv-OO9m2w_GE7uauaKTy1f6hOKen2LH5Y9j4O5sZzDv_StoWiMM4hhjZasSUffBed6-l1IroQnw-MTW0bxna4uBs/s1600/IMG_0354.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqy6IAih4Qy_5Guhd7yN351SwVwoSlUCqPVPtQKdOth8EfoIjnUMtvv-OO9m2w_GE7uauaKTy1f6hOKen2LH5Y9j4O5sZzDv_StoWiMM4hhjZasSUffBed6-l1IroQnw-MTW0bxna4uBs/s400/IMG_0354.JPG" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZq62Af5BoIl2O68N5psyDp8F_1E_qTbuAqK4MrSrs6pjfoPJVtEyvM_gKmB5ANfJjbBEKZ552PglRzo-QvXa0TYutEgOODMAUXCYA0Jpoqhd2dCXRajzE4_S18y1ys0H-DUrpYZedWeU/s1600/IMG_0347.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZq62Af5BoIl2O68N5psyDp8F_1E_qTbuAqK4MrSrs6pjfoPJVtEyvM_gKmB5ANfJjbBEKZ552PglRzo-QvXa0TYutEgOODMAUXCYA0Jpoqhd2dCXRajzE4_S18y1ys0H-DUrpYZedWeU/s320/IMG_0347.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheOKBC1cNAWYNcWg4ftqBzMy99UO0_UtNhXY3pVmaQXd7PiFnQCD0bYtJZgh7wsBNSQf9Yb90AbBFFIBlx7baQz3XVivTQixK6MGMhZMOKgj4Wal-q5y3h5idf4raoganEz8X6JmcP0Q4/s1600/IMG_0352.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheOKBC1cNAWYNcWg4ftqBzMy99UO0_UtNhXY3pVmaQXd7PiFnQCD0bYtJZgh7wsBNSQf9Yb90AbBFFIBlx7baQz3XVivTQixK6MGMhZMOKgj4Wal-q5y3h5idf4raoganEz8X6JmcP0Q4/s320/IMG_0352.JPG" /></a></div><br />
The roads weren't too bad either and I got there pretty fast. I even found time to do some off-roading!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7_tiFwVgg18AH6Whr9bOSLUbM9HH32ZBClxYD2ex2xv-NJUWBE-ruGtRzY7SqA31NMeckmByZU55eMyOsw5NXL25d4LFB-KVECt37UqQhMemm5Xr9Saa6pvTKuZ33DeGChPLfn50igY0/s1600/IMG_0386.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7_tiFwVgg18AH6Whr9bOSLUbM9HH32ZBClxYD2ex2xv-NJUWBE-ruGtRzY7SqA31NMeckmByZU55eMyOsw5NXL25d4LFB-KVECt37UqQhMemm5Xr9Saa6pvTKuZ33DeGChPLfn50igY0/s320/IMG_0386.JPG" /></a></div>Fortunately my tyre got punctured not here, but back home in Pune, later, the very same day.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-me2Hzx1lWDPRKFlor3l0njJPmjqyLsKB56nJJdC4HtJlWLdZAWPawvM-UZ_L7BxhbKxgqeTbhcJlzReMFwFoiSuWGTZQ2K1pg0Q8DF7HkF35fKg2bWPA_IVh4UjACvp9CyTrm9eFNtw/s1600/IMG_0363.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-me2Hzx1lWDPRKFlor3l0njJPmjqyLsKB56nJJdC4HtJlWLdZAWPawvM-UZ_L7BxhbKxgqeTbhcJlzReMFwFoiSuWGTZQ2K1pg0Q8DF7HkF35fKg2bWPA_IVh4UjACvp9CyTrm9eFNtw/s320/IMG_0363.JPG" /></a></div>And, ofcourse, there were the amazing beaches. My bike clicked this one. You can see the Alibag fort in the background.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDuBLnWswZaZGjFuO8Qpy8UIvU45YIFwJKf1irkIY47R7VFIKclzzjOiWqUbzskBHOm7IMhRrC6dK_1oRnRXj2k_5kHpjHjUURCyZM-lEc3P8zAzipH23pzw2Pf4tiH4jEf6eHgrclmIQ/s1600/IMG_0384.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDuBLnWswZaZGjFuO8Qpy8UIvU45YIFwJKf1irkIY47R7VFIKclzzjOiWqUbzskBHOm7IMhRrC6dK_1oRnRXj2k_5kHpjHjUURCyZM-lEc3P8zAzipH23pzw2Pf4tiH4jEf6eHgrclmIQ/s320/IMG_0384.JPG" /></a></div>Look ma, no stand! Yeah, it got stuck there for a while and I almost slipped and fell off trying to get it back onto solid ground. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGmetIHcwDpTIqNe3D5o5X5WZfgiphJQdLr0NwpeZXu6Qw7RCSXwCtfWpVHSovGd2TspWvu4Urqdq-Il3IWyfnfJunDsYR5oHjcC_0-ZpV2StycYng6yoZFyGaqfLSqOB8Mp2C-9mXKBo/s1600/IMG_0377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGmetIHcwDpTIqNe3D5o5X5WZfgiphJQdLr0NwpeZXu6Qw7RCSXwCtfWpVHSovGd2TspWvu4Urqdq-Il3IWyfnfJunDsYR5oHjcC_0-ZpV2StycYng6yoZFyGaqfLSqOB8Mp2C-9mXKBo/s320/IMG_0377.JPG" /></a></div>The beach at Revdanda and the SAND-PAINTINGS!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO9fj4YHMcoYesVWBpVY-jhLDJwrtA9pdJ-yw8NLef_RjE3hvrOPiU_Ic-29BSez6E_iB5i5-Dshdl1LEbKVC0-S6zdn2-xx_e9vkZdUX_go5ZtSbn4Tl_Bxi1oG9mwPO_rliAu2fwLZU/s1600/IMG_0366.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO9fj4YHMcoYesVWBpVY-jhLDJwrtA9pdJ-yw8NLef_RjE3hvrOPiU_Ic-29BSez6E_iB5i5-Dshdl1LEbKVC0-S6zdn2-xx_e9vkZdUX_go5ZtSbn4Tl_Bxi1oG9mwPO_rliAu2fwLZU/s320/IMG_0366.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv79NXtY3vAZfAANkCOX7VEwNUZUgDkhX6sXqUgqPNkwbQ5Z6PnaFj-wQuFx6NFTgVNFWhR1lLD6QaK6VQtLDGPVzgNng9DHjVqyl-rJ8cPvBNOsxF4Ya3HYxqEr-PRHEzBrDJ8oY-9iM/s1600/IMG_0376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv79NXtY3vAZfAANkCOX7VEwNUZUgDkhX6sXqUgqPNkwbQ5Z6PnaFj-wQuFx6NFTgVNFWhR1lLD6QaK6VQtLDGPVzgNng9DHjVqyl-rJ8cPvBNOsxF4Ya3HYxqEr-PRHEzBrDJ8oY-9iM/s400/IMG_0376.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEqFJN_19UaTf0MYToaAEF7kKPSeOc4fkO2aRRt5qGwtAm8XkW_Z9nB5fhTlw7gpd3ZdtIrvWgXwZghvPukW7Iym8_kw7xkd7_DUYSd0cr7suVN468qWXeW7mKbB2_VbLq6JNOGJIKrFM/s1600/IMG_0381.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEqFJN_19UaTf0MYToaAEF7kKPSeOc4fkO2aRRt5qGwtAm8XkW_Z9nB5fhTlw7gpd3ZdtIrvWgXwZghvPukW7Iym8_kw7xkd7_DUYSd0cr7suVN468qWXeW7mKbB2_VbLq6JNOGJIKrFM/s320/IMG_0381.JPG" /></a></div><br />
I really want to do this trip again, anyone up? =)aalapdavjekarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16172468447033618047noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2061449495971600954.post-86614234019064946532010-05-18T16:32:00.000+05:302010-05-18T16:32:05.837+05:30Be a Good Follower :-)Stay updated on my travels and other big moments through <a href="http://twitter.com/aalapdavjekar">Twitter</a>.<br />
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It'll be even more awesomer than <a href="http://i.imgur.com/CkozC.jpg">this</a>!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilvEQh8jJzB663vVHr4XGHeYM-88QDdwj9NEhyphenhyphenD-cbMitusjsFdlblSjbH4sRGQ_w3C2uE2nkYcHoV0RJVOe-LKY5bdboBA6hFaauNTAF9K_FrRuT4062AsagoNdSCa4FJTRos7d5QgD4/s1600/IMG_0321.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilvEQh8jJzB663vVHr4XGHeYM-88QDdwj9NEhyphenhyphenD-cbMitusjsFdlblSjbH4sRGQ_w3C2uE2nkYcHoV0RJVOe-LKY5bdboBA6hFaauNTAF9K_FrRuT4062AsagoNdSCa4FJTRos7d5QgD4/s320/IMG_0321.JPG" /></a></div>aalapdavjekarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16172468447033618047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2061449495971600954.post-77136349196128365522010-05-17T20:42:00.000+05:302010-05-17T20:42:45.809+05:30Random photographs from April.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPsjvCMXjf20lZ93fmuJJ_xdvH9jfMaGWC5q6Q-9uH6HV3F3gVFT3dOEMCq3o1tguE5ijAQqs2FVs-I1_x89hdO-cgl3LfxUbss91r7YaPt3-FdJ0O6JFJmBKv0QAJcvWhLliq0vEA99U/s1600/Time+Out.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPsjvCMXjf20lZ93fmuJJ_xdvH9jfMaGWC5q6Q-9uH6HV3F3gVFT3dOEMCq3o1tguE5ijAQqs2FVs-I1_x89hdO-cgl3LfxUbss91r7YaPt3-FdJ0O6JFJmBKv0QAJcvWhLliq0vEA99U/s400/Time+Out.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">A team of painters on a break. It was a hot day and with the hot wind in your face, riding a bike didn't come easy. This was taken on the way to <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Amby+Valley+City&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=52.550571,114.169922&ie=UTF8&hq=Amby+Valley+City&hnear=&radius=15000&ll=18.618918,73.398285&spn=0.992966,1.783905&z=10&iwloc=A">Amby Valley City</a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWX6TmAtCL5St9HYq3zCcC2O4ndBJQrKWtX6eYGTzad8QcQS_Spz1Si6_RTAmdEjfsoNnKJyWx2iWcJllIELczU7BxwuTacbqydbO18JVAJ0s_7FeMmmPfW7RjbGbc51jSql7nQfn7qLE/s1600/IMG_5909-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWX6TmAtCL5St9HYq3zCcC2O4ndBJQrKWtX6eYGTzad8QcQS_Spz1Si6_RTAmdEjfsoNnKJyWx2iWcJllIELczU7BxwuTacbqydbO18JVAJ0s_7FeMmmPfW7RjbGbc51jSql7nQfn7qLE/s400/IMG_5909-1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Different modes of transportation.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfkTBChaePVvpW7PdB8fqAicJws5x7jzAv6FAhxz05Ul6Nf2gkJv7KcWSYbI67DMUr7JclKIxZXdhBiFB3G5CwDv33h-pmFKXRE2GzmukAG4kdbNdu8HkgaTY7sgcynKSDOfnega_G3WE/s1600/Traffic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfkTBChaePVvpW7PdB8fqAicJws5x7jzAv6FAhxz05Ul6Nf2gkJv7KcWSYbI67DMUr7JclKIxZXdhBiFB3G5CwDv33h-pmFKXRE2GzmukAG4kdbNdu8HkgaTY7sgcynKSDOfnega_G3WE/s400/Traffic.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Traffic was quite heavy.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijCnOM-c40A7qHjjub6_EPHrNIFQ740gsvsx0V3C65z8GaJV9FQzqHQ11Wz-kfKzVRqUwDiO2KDQRgIgRPZuyJFgcP-O9itsBpW-OevhrBS0TRbiAMGc79KgtNaT9_b9WTlUXhjtTE8n4/s1600/Samit+was+here.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijCnOM-c40A7qHjjub6_EPHrNIFQ740gsvsx0V3C65z8GaJV9FQzqHQ11Wz-kfKzVRqUwDiO2KDQRgIgRPZuyJFgcP-O9itsBpW-OevhrBS0TRbiAMGc79KgtNaT9_b9WTlUXhjtTE8n4/s400/Samit+was+here.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Samit was here. <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=vijayadurg&sll=18.618918,73.398285&sspn=0.992966,1.783905&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Vijayadurg,+Sindhudurg,+Maharashtra,+India&ll=16.552923,73.333303&spn=0.485743,0.891953&z=11">Vijayadurg </a>in the Konkan is quite a beautiful place if ever you decide to take a trip.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCruazHjrzlKkAW1W7PgadPtWSgg76vfPlAUBblDUrWIS6c26bg5G7RdqYbaNOHF66VR28qEXQHwhM43kKX91NVa3kaVcdoXEQ5LwtiRmeTR0rMcSxkeIPrLvgJW3zXSmt_likZyjRuUI/s1600/A+Biker%27s+Sunset.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCruazHjrzlKkAW1W7PgadPtWSgg76vfPlAUBblDUrWIS6c26bg5G7RdqYbaNOHF66VR28qEXQHwhM43kKX91NVa3kaVcdoXEQ5LwtiRmeTR0rMcSxkeIPrLvgJW3zXSmt_likZyjRuUI/s400/A+Biker%27s+Sunset.jpg" width="380" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">A biker's sunset at <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&q=Gaganbawda,+Kolhapur,+Maharashtra,+India&sll=16.544063,73.333054&sspn=0.502219,0.891953&g=vijayadurg&ie=UTF8&cd=1&geocode=FRFv_AAdvpRmBA&split=0&hq=&hnear=Gaganbawda,+Kolhapur,+Maharashtra,+India&ll=16.543505,73.831614&spn=0.125556,0.222988&z=13">Ganganbavda</a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4YFVT5pVApTqyKl7tmKqgZlxVVcern6MlTqdN3xRvM4aMPG9JT7Pe4yX5Qe-eJ06XC79uoxfoU4yufVEzUpHomz1nx81sM8bqm67P9nM6vTpzTXZn1ukjdzlYfDlRCWrXFGH0AcIXtoY/s1600/Udaipur.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4YFVT5pVApTqyKl7tmKqgZlxVVcern6MlTqdN3xRvM4aMPG9JT7Pe4yX5Qe-eJ06XC79uoxfoU4yufVEzUpHomz1nx81sM8bqm67P9nM6vTpzTXZn1ukjdzlYfDlRCWrXFGH0AcIXtoY/s400/Udaipur.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Udaipur. I love, love, love Udaipur!</div>aalapdavjekarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16172468447033618047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2061449495971600954.post-69926847685013761392010-05-17T01:53:00.000+05:302010-05-17T01:53:21.438+05:30Bad Ass History Lesson #1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVFNRDRnvmKkB2V-Wf1oKIQaxNBozyWBZC_i56b9mYgZXaG2DtBYcF9PusbYk2wdMrIDp9pQLQQknCxv813qPeK4FypjXpF_dyFMdNlMk8rqRFs_LzRNUL5eJYc9yG87f6QpG7AbFQCNc/s1600/IMG_0132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVFNRDRnvmKkB2V-Wf1oKIQaxNBozyWBZC_i56b9mYgZXaG2DtBYcF9PusbYk2wdMrIDp9pQLQQknCxv813qPeK4FypjXpF_dyFMdNlMk8rqRFs_LzRNUL5eJYc9yG87f6QpG7AbFQCNc/s400/IMG_0132.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">If that freaks you out (it really shouldn't but if you are that big a wuss), then imagine climbing up a mountain with monitor lizards as big as your bike. That's what Tanaji Malusare and the Marathas had to do to get up into Kondana fort to recapture it from Udaybhan Rathod. They did and they renamed it <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&q=Sinhagad&sll=18.364953,73.756371&sspn=0.248613,0.445976&ie=UTF8&split=1&rq=1&ev=zo&radius=17.55&hq=Sinhagad&hnear=&ll=18.364953,73.756371&spn=0.248613,0.445976&z=12">Sinhagad</a>. At least that what legend tells. How you tame monitor lizards is beyond me, let alone riding them like a horse and then going up a mountain. Truly bad ass.</div>aalapdavjekarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16172468447033618047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2061449495971600954.post-90080371037865876612010-05-13T18:29:00.003+05:302010-05-14T01:54:03.910+05:30Kharepaten<div style="text-align: left;">I'm not too fond of temples but my family took me to this place called <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=kharepaten,+india&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Kharepaten,+Sindhudurg,+Maharashtra,+India&z=15">Kharepaten</a> for certain religious goals. Anyway, I had a good time thanks to my trusty <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Canon-PowerShot-A480-2-5-inch-Silver/dp/B001SER4BU?ie=UTF8&tag=the0744-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">digicam</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=the0744-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001SER4BU" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> which never fails to amuse me. I even got to drive in the ghats later so it turned out to be quite a trip!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPFq-L3ZdvUlutVOw3nXOBU-dLGwjumDEQS3kvoOUlnRv9C527l8v-6Tj8oHmjtgey1ydfCzrrhz6WYGSf1R9m2K5ySxzm3VaPP9XJEryaVovFo1VYfYGyxEou2QTfBzMTYg2DIGE9xRs/s400/IMG_0224.JPG" width="300" /> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">These cutting chai glasses always fascinate me.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJEVMAw4l3jjz1xSMs5-d9ADO6yoDIV5mTLGviQzUkUbvhqs1ZRyXfCIXJUTmv-vltr2dYSpi63wgJ2Vc7vm2uTH9iWiKysYO7t5aG9gInvGnvZvTuvSLeRIdaC98Oschxr1eLwVHAlf4/s400/IMG_0225.JPG" width="400" /> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Bugs these days...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHbMFYlmWDV8WGyqtAKq4LBCL6ACFaTwii9aw6u_PEAmyo4l9NhcnecxAP8ccS2InsTAcgehZ13EEPHsXH5LxToxWJ-XWCBxa9og9h6O2McgIHTNMnmqyk6L16WMBEUkFWP3NVVZ-8g6o/s400/IMG_0244.JPG" width="300" /> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Must clean my lens...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1NAq_MhhN3g7NE-BVh3bbKrrBrKoaf2giWq27hDaaD01tDaRGnq66px78KDsnl3HgadGwljo_WeKpvYmIIBro2LrYH4QIMzt9NTrqqoqhgoibi-XySsHawe-u_X8v-alBj0Ok4KKJntk/s400/IMG_0261.JPG" width="300" /> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I swear, this thing started crying a second after I took this picture. Patience doesn't work every time.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipP7wWbep1VtlDo3L56tqGX7ga5sA6IMOTiK_CnPtxVrowtJZZfjGLtyg6AtMJmug_BxbxIt-inqLpctPl5jSaWGZPyKwcAURen_OHDGcHk8oXYn0QWDJLnE0_wNJoied_6-UyZ6jzpeE/s400/IMG_0266.JPG" width="300" /> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Laughing uncles!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4nHEDmB3WA_W8cL4GqF5OyVybClRECsyuB9aZJlyN9QkPJ4LfvNSAfyPTClu47x1Y3DSanQsehm42uMlMfzeVHpm9j_djUpK2r5BlChahtTdvZXm3HIZ1rLQoARmOq9d6wZvh51QGUtE/s400/IMG_0268.JPG" width="300" /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A basket, a piece of paper and a cable with plug. How random must I get to be appreciated. =P</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9QSj22ItpfURuuxidK0JS2UdN2a23qfwkLGWBHq_DfHzvOXm6_Y3EOOnzpI3Lra7K0WWP6ikX_luQSaPXD2cACzyjvX2oVWLyerjipZJtnPrrIC9jRJPRkStpZusTQrGhJrHx_X-s3P4/s400/IMG_0273.JPG" width="300" /> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was stalking this boy around to get some decent pictures. And finally, right before it started to seem awkward, viola!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqAhzTV93ckYz4VAQh-XODZ1CHAe0u3Yiz4PW3GF-BIUbbStQT8AkFim1Ww9-3_l_V3VLxp070MAA1tMlK0SfeWbtjLnai9uyUSMIo2J5ngXk-MkIcXVxKVwNLwRR17iufNxyi2WF7H2s/s1600/IMG_0282.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqAhzTV93ckYz4VAQh-XODZ1CHAe0u3Yiz4PW3GF-BIUbbStQT8AkFim1Ww9-3_l_V3VLxp070MAA1tMlK0SfeWbtjLnai9uyUSMIo2J5ngXk-MkIcXVxKVwNLwRR17iufNxyi2WF7H2s/s400/IMG_0282.JPG" width="300" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I really wanted to go to a beach after this since it was only about 40km or so from where we were, but the weather forced us to retreat back to our airconditioned cars and back to Kolhapur. Can't say I came back empty handed.</div>aalapdavjekarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16172468447033618047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2061449495971600954.post-83398053111450259412010-05-13T14:50:00.002+05:302010-05-13T15:28:35.452+05:30MulshiIf you haven't heard of a place called <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=mulshi,+india&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=52.550571,114.169922&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Mulshi,+Pune,+Maharashtra,+India&ll=18.501099,73.513985&spn=0.248416,0.445976&z=12">Mulshi</a> and you are from Pune, then what the heck have you been doing so far?! For starters, it is beautiful and it is so close by, you could practically walk there! Mulshi is the name of the dam on the Mula river and the water from the reservoir is used for irrigation and to generate electricity at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhira" title="Bhira">Bhira</a> hydroelectric power plant and sometimes for a nice swim if you're ever in the mood.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirDBXp_ZJzaNe6RkQp472GPaRzBXsRJ0taup2Edcz4vg3KSvrB-N2an2LNxAZeml-ll66ytBpE1h4TB2OM66dvjGGGUtCeo8Gu7gcRWHmW97ua_vgZhTDNBqWhH6j8InIUEUP-PDccigY/s1600/IMG_0017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirDBXp_ZJzaNe6RkQp472GPaRzBXsRJ0taup2Edcz4vg3KSvrB-N2an2LNxAZeml-ll66ytBpE1h4TB2OM66dvjGGGUtCeo8Gu7gcRWHmW97ua_vgZhTDNBqWhH6j8InIUEUP-PDccigY/s400/IMG_0017.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixGbIyEyV3_Vp5WmNCLqNi0NyQWYwq5tYDWBDgfQro_Af5t68mgrfAPvnsJbbDMowsomgOEPiBPtmOETpCNt7Wzfl6rvNwVaVUuADNuaySFLjosYPFBu0-nbTuxPbjhHfdO84Rau-MxjQ/s1600/IMG_0028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixGbIyEyV3_Vp5WmNCLqNi0NyQWYwq5tYDWBDgfQro_Af5t68mgrfAPvnsJbbDMowsomgOEPiBPtmOETpCNt7Wzfl6rvNwVaVUuADNuaySFLjosYPFBu0-nbTuxPbjhHfdO84Rau-MxjQ/s400/IMG_0028.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggSpvtW0YfanXu_ygz-oOOIldMka9uNxxHUOv5kjaV4PxPS13C807f3CQGHSWTLyfl2pI9CO5VF2JK0FV8MqnWCxSP7gdoHULfLzpeVLiO7wWXOt9y_-U8hWzLXoHAMrWcWh_84TZON9o/s1600/IMG_0038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggSpvtW0YfanXu_ygz-oOOIldMka9uNxxHUOv5kjaV4PxPS13C807f3CQGHSWTLyfl2pI9CO5VF2JK0FV8MqnWCxSP7gdoHULfLzpeVLiO7wWXOt9y_-U8hWzLXoHAMrWcWh_84TZON9o/s400/IMG_0038.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXJpaekiDHysyXRMiE21X6nUgWTceZ2M3K_bUxh7x17YK0cq_fVobYkH5PZ7xAwNop3cAAn-jD5N1qQqUT8TCwlPhD-EmSKPdL6wefkuGcpCVb_Je3awvQYtHIq4tPH1_4Lo7kd9eK_eY/s1600/IMG_0037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXJpaekiDHysyXRMiE21X6nUgWTceZ2M3K_bUxh7x17YK0cq_fVobYkH5PZ7xAwNop3cAAn-jD5N1qQqUT8TCwlPhD-EmSKPdL6wefkuGcpCVb_Je3awvQYtHIq4tPH1_4Lo7kd9eK_eY/s400/IMG_0037.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>After getting my undies wet in the water that awesome morning, my friend tells me they don't let people in the water. "Why", I ask. "Crocodiles", he says with a smile. I did cut my toe on a sharp rock in the water but that is the most anyone bled, thankfully.<br />
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If you're ever planning on going there just carry yourself a good pair of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Speedo-Solid-Marina-Volley-Watershort/dp/B000Z3OV66?ie=UTF8&tag=the0744-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">swimming trunks</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=the0744-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000Z3OV66" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> because undies will get ruined from the silt and it is just annoying to wash them later. And yeah, beware of the 'crocodiles'.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>aalapdavjekarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16172468447033618047noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2061449495971600954.post-15837757869515790292010-05-13T03:13:00.001+05:302010-05-13T05:41:39.761+05:30The BeachHere's to my first post on this blog! I've been procrastinating a lot but I finally got down to writing about my travels around the country. To start off, here are some pictures of my bike off the western coast of Maharashtra near <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Ratnagiri,+Maharashtra,+India&sll=17.126519,73.30061&sspn=0.12517,0.222988&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Ratnagiri,+Maharashtra,+India&ll=17.006232,73.318634&spn=0.12525,0.222988&z=13">Ratnagiri</a> and <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Ganpatipule,+Maharashtra,+India&sll=17.006232,73.318634&sspn=0.12525,0.222988&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Ganpati+Pule,+Ratnagiri,+Maharashtra,+India&z=14">Ganpatipule</a>:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcSx82e3BjQKvwIWVaw5VobZZDOYnDAnDqHwvuGtVdAXHjgMVMxTc6w4q5CPP7nBB051mM3E_KBA8ebfwY4YR-r8JdyeK8hv1spf7BwYUfpmbSEjE5lEWnGABNwjC3pII0sQ6dN8MYYE8/s1600/IMG_0299.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcSx82e3BjQKvwIWVaw5VobZZDOYnDAnDqHwvuGtVdAXHjgMVMxTc6w4q5CPP7nBB051mM3E_KBA8ebfwY4YR-r8JdyeK8hv1spf7BwYUfpmbSEjE5lEWnGABNwjC3pII0sQ6dN8MYYE8/s400/IMG_0299.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeFF7cRDRzoz8uoo0O47ZKdk2KBUuAW8aXNOUCKMSTg6zhyphenhyphenJ9d7Yx_TyqfROBfOvt0WMpTDVnuiYNdZZLhSwiL2tfcTgSyI7XCm-T8NpD0n96CIVHgJVb2I4e0gQnxQuf16hWN-U0-F10/s1600/IMG_0306-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeFF7cRDRzoz8uoo0O47ZKdk2KBUuAW8aXNOUCKMSTg6zhyphenhyphenJ9d7Yx_TyqfROBfOvt0WMpTDVnuiYNdZZLhSwiL2tfcTgSyI7XCm-T8NpD0n96CIVHgJVb2I4e0gQnxQuf16hWN-U0-F10/s400/IMG_0306-2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>I love beaches, don't you? The ocean always excites and calms me at the same time. I wouldn't mind living on a beach forever, given that it's clean and free from other people, heh. The other day I found several empty beaches and one very crowded, commercial one (at Ganpatipule), which makes me wonder, do people really bother to check out places not listed on their maps? Perhaps not. But maybe that's a good thing since it leaves me with plenty of unexplored and uninhabited places to discover and ultimately write about!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjO7LsYpWIhMhHWhJByXbjRaYbcuOIf7jfRH_okglbVDJmUawyiLqjx4rmuATaR_vVxMIdkyeJ9gW0oAaZZPonvx7iDUt6eDd1bVu0TqX6Hsij2gECLX2WfDYeIAKZTuGXT7fFw2gV31A/s1600/IMG_4873.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjO7LsYpWIhMhHWhJByXbjRaYbcuOIf7jfRH_okglbVDJmUawyiLqjx4rmuATaR_vVxMIdkyeJ9gW0oAaZZPonvx7iDUt6eDd1bVu0TqX6Hsij2gECLX2WfDYeIAKZTuGXT7fFw2gV31A/s400/IMG_4873.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>aalapdavjekarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16172468447033618047noreply@blogger.com0