Royal Rajasthan conquered in Royal Enfield!!!

[krishnasamaga]

Day–16 | Pushkar–Chittaurgarh | 14–Nov–2010 | 238 Kms | 4375 Kms

Day started with a twisty ride on Snake Ghats towards Ajmer when Pushkar was still misty. Crossed Ajmer Lake & rode ahead on 2-lane road towards Nasirabad only to see the beautiful Golden Quadrilateral after around 10 days. Though the 2-lane roads I have been riding on from last few days were good enough, I have always felt a kind of security being at GQ at least in terms of tyre puncture.

Good bye Pushkar​

Break at GQ​

Took the ride slow enjoying the vista around as I had enough time & GQ was with me from now on. With few butt breaks, reached Chittaurgarh by NOON & enquired for a room in Hotel Padmini Palace. As I entered the hotel gate, thought it would be much more than my budget looking at the spacious parking & huge hotel complex. Enquired about room & got the deal for 800 bux without AC but decent enough for me. The front end officer got very curious about my trip as he was seeing a person travelling this far for the first time in bike.

First view of fort from NH​

View from my room​

After clearing my Nth interview, got fresh & called up reception to order lunch.
“Sir we have Thali...” “Which one?? Punjabi or Gujarathi??” “Sir it’s just Thali... you will get roti or chapathi, 2 subjee, rice, dal, sweet & raitha.. ” She gave me the complete menu for my baffling question.

Yummy lunch for my hunger tummy!!!​

However it was not bad for my hungry appetite & grabbed everything they gave. The front end officer had also told that it’s better to visit Chittaurgarh Fort by evening as I will get to see Sound & Light show. Thought to go with his advice & took some rest cleaning my bike & lying in bed shifting TV channels. With enough respite, rode towards fort & hired a guide for 100 bux which he quoted as 200 initially.

Fort entrance​

Beautiful shot​

Few more ruins of the fort!!!​

Temple dedicated to Meera Bhai​

One face with 10 legs...​

Adjecent Temple​

With he being my pillion, explored all the major spots inside the fort like ‘Vijaya Stamb’, ‘Meera Bhai Temple’, ‘Padmini Palace’, ‘Main entrance of the fort which is now back entry’ & so on. Though the guide was very young, he had accumulated enough information about the fort for his business. Although we were running out time, I managed to get on top of Vijaya Stamb climbing the dark, confusing, tiny steps for around 5 floors. When I went to the top, realized that the effort was worth it for the view.

Some Palace inside the fort​

View from top of Victory Pillar​

No one knows where this water comes from...​

Victory Pillar...​

Rani Padmini Palace...​

This is single piece crystal bought from London...​

Behind Rani Padmini Palace​

Mirror in which Rani Padmini was shown to other king​

Like the guy I met in Bikaner morning walk, even my guide was more interested in my hair style & my bike. He was waiting to ride my machine but I was very particular about not giving it to any unknown person.

“Thume itna sub quile ke bare main kaisa patha hain???” I asked at last while he took me for a round of complete fort which was around 3-4 kms.
“Bhees saal se yaha rehta hoon!!! Hum log quile ke andar rehte hain!!!!” That’s when I realised there are local residents inside this fort as well like in Jaisalmer. He was also insisting me to visit govt undertaken saree shop where I would get sarees made of Custard Apple which is available only in Chittaurgarh. But I had enough memorable experiences of shopping in tourist places & rejected his offer at the first place .

Other side of the fort & this is where historic was of Chittaurgarh was faught​

Another Pillar at the fort​

After interactive tour of the fort, handed him 100 bux & thanked him for quality information he gave me. As there was time for the Sound & Light show to begin, came back to the entrance of Fort from where one gets beautiful view of nice Chittaurgarh town below. After spending a quality period sitting on bench, it was time for me to get into Sound & Light show paying 100 bux. As the show began, I was spell bound by the arrangements & information it contained. Even though most of the information was already given by Samrat Singh (guide), this mode of representing history was much more interesting than hiring a guide. Altogether, the show was completely worth it.

View of Chittaurgarh at night​

Victory Pillar illuminated​

Pic of Sound & Light Show​

Ghost spotted at the fort :-​

Came back to lodge realizing that I shattered 100 bux for guide. “Tomorrow, Good bye Rajasthan!!! ” I thought & mentally geared up for return journey.

 

[hiambuj]

Man, that thali looks yum to me.
Nice coverage again !!

 

[krishnasamaga]

Super !!

Lots of beauties posed for you in the trip

Yup!!! Lot of them gave decent pose...

Man, that thali looks yum to me.
Nice coverage again !!

Thanks Amit!!! Yup!!! Thali looked too awesome to me at tht moment... Dint leave anything in tht..

 

[krishnasamaga]

Day–17 | Chittaurgarh–Ahmedabad | 15–Nov–2010 | 382 Kms | 4757 Kms

First gaze outside the window was real cosy as everything outside looked misty to my eyes. Rubbed it again to confirm that it was truly misty outside. To my eyes, even fort was not visible which I had clearly seen yesterday. Got my bike loaded by tea time & requested front end officer to get the dosa’s ready as early as possible. But my request went in vein as I had to wait for 50 mins to get last pair of dosa’s before I leave Rajasthan. Though it did not tanged great with Chutney, the combination of it with Sambar turned out be worth for my wait .

“Thoda kum kardo bhai saab!!!” I said the cashier while settling the bill & he gave me 10% off on room rent

While I was about to move,
“Where are you going today???” fluent english touched my ears & it was another young guy with thick glass covering his eyes.
“Ahmedabad”... After flooding few more questions he said,
“I had read it in magazines about bike riders but seeing for the first time today!!!” he said which I wish the girls in his group should have said .
“Krishna here....” “Pradhyunma from Pune....”

Got onto GQ towards south re-filling my tank & by passed Udaipur with few photo breaks thereby completing one full circle to Rajasthan. Once again I thanked my partner for making this happen without any trouble.

Misty GQ to start the day with​

Hurry!!! Rajasthan done!!! ​

After a long butt break, geared up for the next part which consisted of 4-lane fun filled twisties. With bending my bike to the max possible, DJ completely entertaining me & photo session on regular basis, I was on my own world to be frank.

Twisties ahead​

“Ek noodles laana!! Jaldi...” I ordered at my lunch break around 20 kms behind the state border. The servant told he was in Mysore for 5 years & he knows quite a bit of Bangalore too.

After grabbing the oily noodles, I was on my machine for the next stretch. Soon it started to rain slightly to wet the roads serving no other purpose. As I was riding in twisties, at one such curve, it was written “Katarnak ted!!! Dheere chale...” which I read & rode slowly to be on the safer side. As soon as I crossed the curve, realized the reason why they have put caution board as I saw a badly damaged car lying beside the highway. It was in such a condition that I got desperate to take the snap & applied sudden break forgetting the road was wet. Got slipped & after few seconds of humiliating sound, saw my bike lying beside the car. “Damn! How did it happen???” Stars were rolling on my head for some time. I was on absolute shock as to how could it just happen??? The very next thought that triggered my mind was to get the snap of my bike & not car anymore . Tried to lift my machine but it was not one mans job. Could not resist laughing at whatever happened in few mins time. Requested few two wheelers to help me & they did it sincerely.

Doesn't it look fatal???​

“Kaha se gire aap??? Kuch laga toh nahi???” a constable who came to help asked me thinking it was a fatal fall looking at the bikes situation .
After getting bull back to the road, made a brief inspection to check for any serious damage. But nothing fatal at all! Only foot rest & scratch guard got bend. Next was to do a self inspection & the outcome was my knee pad had a scratch. “Wow!!! I am as I was before” I grasped. As everything looked fine at first glance, continued but this time my speedo down to 50’s. While on the move, I was still trying to find the reason behind it as I bid byes to Rajasthan.

“I wasn’t at high speed.... What else could be the reason??? Wet roads?? Low air pressure in tyres??? Wheel alignment problem??? ” & so on. But the other side of my brain said “What’s the fun in ride without all these mate???” thereby getting my buoyancy back.

Good bye Rajasthan...​

Caught while at a break​

Reached Ahmedabad by evening with few breaks & sensible riding after learning a lesson. Settled in Hotel Palav with 624 bux for AC room. After freshening up, asked the route & timings to Sabarmati Ashram & lodge guy said it will be late to go now & handed me written directions on back side of hotels visiting card. As I had plenty of time in hand, cleaned my bike, check the air pressure which was very low & got my tummy filled in Food Point before I called it my day.

 

[classicrajat]

superb T'log..awesome

 

[hiambuj]

See, you have posers again for you. Lovely !!

 

[krishnasamaga]

superb T'log..awesome

Thanks a lot Rajat...

See, you have posers again for you. Lovely !!

Yeah Amit!!! In this trip, I have got posers all the way!!!!

 

[krishnasamaga]

Day–18 | Ahmedabad–Daman | 16–Nov–2010 | 445 Kms | 5202 Kms

As per the plan, I had to cover big distance on this day which meant I should be done with Sabarmati Ashram as soon as possible. Rode across well developed Ahmedabad & after around 15-20 kms of riding in city, crossed Sabarmati River & landed my bike in Ashram parking. It was just 8:30 AM by the time I went in & was the first visitor for the day too. Very first observation I made was that the place is real calm & peaceful. I could not hear any noise except the one made by parrots.

Ashram Map​

3 rules Bapu had which none follows today!!!​

Gave a visit to few important places inside the Ashram viz museum which had bapu’s biography with various pictures & posters, library which consisted of books on bapu’s life in various languages & also few letters bapu wrote on his days, Gandhi’s house where bapu lived in ashram. Came out in an hour clicking them all.

Some gyan of what Bapu had done!!!​

Route Bapu took for Dandi March​

Photo of the same...​

Peaceful Ashram​

Sabarmati River adjecent to Ashram​

Once again a pose from cute parrot​

Bapu's House in the Ashram​

Bapu's Stuffs!!!​

Boy!!! Was the place so romantic???​

Bapu with his soulmate​

Bapu's message to all Indians​

Some letter stuff​

Toran restaurant opposite to Ashram was open by then & decided to eat something than to stop somewhere mid way. With a tasty Upma padded in my stomach , got back to lodge by 10:30 AM & soon was ready was the big day. Took the same Sardar Patel Ring Road to touch 2-lane Ahmedabad-Vadodara NH-8 & this 2-lane took 2 hours to reach Vadodara.

Good bye Ahmedabad..​

Gosh!!! Absolute mess the road was with packed traffic & annoying driving sense of drivers . *******s don’t even care about the vehicles approaching while overtaking. After by passing Vadodara, stopped for lunch & had Roti & Dal. Pitied on the servant who had become a foot ball rolling between customers accepting their harsh words. Post lunch, it was dead smooth 6-lane road to cruise on till Surat by pass.

Industries everywhere...​

Gujarath Greens... ​

Had tea break nearing Surat & paid 12 bux for tasteless tea. Even on return journey my interview had not got over & a gentleman from a family spoke to me about my trip but this time I cut down the conversation saying “Bye” as I had lot more to do for the day.

Highway side Dabha's to entertain you...​

Bypass to Surat​

Colourful evening..​

Crossed Surat & thereby getting into road full of diversions & extensive trucks. Made it to Vapi before night taking 17 diversions (If I have not missed out any) for flyover construction with in just 110 kms. These diversions had changed the colour of my jacket from black to brown . Vapi is pretty developed place with Skoda showroom, McD, Big Bazaar & more. Took a right diversion to Daman & settled in Hotel Siddarth with much needed AC room for 900 bux as the climate was nauseating. As it was dark, decided to check out Daman tomorrow & crashed with AC cooling the room.

 

[Occasionaltraveller]

Very informative, especially about the hotels, The hotels you mentioned ( Chittaur) are good to stay with family and kids?
felt bad that you and your "patner" fell down, as you got distractd due to a previous accident, and God providence that u got away unhurt.
I have also travelled on the Udaipur/Abad section, between Shamlaji- Kesriaji, alert is required even if it is now GQ road.

 

[krishnasamaga]

Very informative, especially about the hotels, The hotels you mentioned ( Chittaur) are good to stay with family and kids?
felt bad that you and your "patner" fell down, as you got distractd due to a previous accident, and God providence that u got away unhurt.
I have also travelled on the Udaipur/Abad section, between Shamlaji- Kesriaji, alert is required even if it is now GQ road.

I felt its worth for a family & kids too... Have a look at the pic below of the room which i stayed in chittaurgarh for 720 bux (800 with 10% discount)...

Even i was little distracted with the damaged car... Its my second fall till date!!!