On Motorcycling

I have been asked to relate some lessons learnt from the journey, not so much about the self than about motorcycle maintenance, for the benefit of future wanderers. In the case of the Enfield Lightning 500, I had to stop for repairs/upgrades for the following reasons:
Day 1
Clutch plates overheating and jamming
Day 2
Chain needed tightening
Day 7
Carburettor waterlogging
Day 8
Battery not charging - regulator and rectifier replacement.
Handgrips replacement
Day 9
Battery Connectivity

Day 24 to 26 - Trivandrum to New Delhi (by train)

 The train departure time was 1430 hrs so hopped the bungalow by about 1300. Bid adieu to the gang outside the Techno Park chai shop.

At the station parcel office, the bike was packed with both panniers on, leg-guard with helmet locked in, and both rear-view mirrors in place - quite a surprise because I remember Pune Station staff jettisoning such appurtenances 'for owner's own good' owing to cramped luggage van conditions.

These dudes didn't even ask for the petrol to be emptied. Too good to be true, and, on returning from lunch, I was to be reminded about free lunches. After paying the packer, who initially quoted a princely ransom for his ragtag job,  I went out to lunch of prawn fried rice and manchurian to a hotel across the road. Returned to find another platform lackey groping under the gunny-covers, trying to locate the fuel cock to fill a 30-litre bottle he held underneath. Luckily, the bike had a fuel lock.

Day 21 - Trivandrum to Kanyakumari

The day begins with preparations for Mrinaljit's fish fry. Atuk grinds some garlic under a beer bottle.

The group sets out planning to make it to Kovalam beach, 20 km away, in time for dinner.

Found a gazebo at the southenmost tip of land before the Indian Ocean and we tried to catch some sleep till sunrise.

Woke to a furore of atleast a thousand pilgrims who had suddenly swarmed all over our sleeping spot.

The sun finally peeked out of the clouds two hours after sunrise

A rock wall fences off part of the indian ocean to carve out a sort of parking lot for fishermen's boats.

The colours of the water a montage of azures, navys, cyans, indigos, and aquamarines, at the meeting of the 3 seas.

Atuk wonders if this might be the knife-edge of Eastern civlization while John turns off to find more land.

Day 20 - Kochi to Trivandrum

Left Kochi around noon saying goodbye to Mithun and catching up with another friend, Sanjay, at the Kaloor Bus Stand.

The rivers and seas seem to merge as seen from the bridges on this route.

 

Asked for coffee on seeing this guy gravitationally frothing up a beverage off the stove but was surprised to learn they had only tea.

  

Fresh fish! Thought of taking some along but with nothing to carry it in, and a polythene too risky for the 4 hour journey ahead, had to be content with a photograph.

 

Evening over the coast

Some black tea on the terrace, surrounded by a forest of palms, even in the middle of the town.

Day 19 - Kottakkal to Kochi

Moved off early in the morning while it was still dark. The sun rose a half hour later when negotiating a set of low, sleepy hills, which seem out of place in these parts, west of the Western Ghats - like hippies that moved here to relax near the coast.

 

Seen from Kuttipuram bridge, these silt islands on the Bharathapuzha river (Nila, or the Nile of  Kerala) would make great beach volleyball courts, not to mention a nice location for edge-of-the-sandbar refreshment bars:

 

The Naranipuzha (Narani river) is lined with coconut forest on either side.

Breakfast at a restaurant near a busy intersection in Moonnupeedika - duck-egg omelet, parota, and coconut chutney to be washed down with cardamom tea.

 

 The only spot of shade near the Edappally Junction - the crossroads that mark the 'sangam' of NH17 and NH47 (NH17 begins at Mumbai and ends here; NH47 from Salem in Tamil Nadu carries the torch on to Kanyakumari)

 

The Nettoor backwaters have this quaint old toddy shack. Toddy or palm wine is arrack made from fermented palm sap -  in this case, coconut - and tastes kinda like buttermilk with a smack of coconut juice. Hors d'oeuvres of choice are the "mussels in masala".

 

There is a ferry landing point just near the gate. Ferries can transport people, luggage, animals, and small vehicles like bicycles and mopeds.

Locals sit on the jetty waiting for their ferry looking toward the railway bridge on the horizon, maybe thinking:

"If dreams were boats, jetties would be bridges..."

Their ship comes in:

And a train soon after

Cleo samples a doobie-snack

'To do is to be.'  - Socrates
'To be is to do.'  - Jean-Paul Sartre
'Do be do be do.'  - Frank Sinatra

'Doobie do beedi.'  - Cleo

Day 18 - Udupi to Kottakkal

Left hotel by 9am to check out Malpe beach and festivities.

Moved on down the highway to pass the Udupi Gate on the way.

Beautiful rivers and views soon after hitting Kerala.