Toll Free - A solo bike trip.

All set and i reached my office on Friday with all luggage packed. I did my usual office stuff and i was so excited that tomorrow will be one where my dream comes true. So my plan is to start on Saturday morning 4 am and my first destination was to reach Rajamundry by 7 pm in the evening( its 430 km and 8.30hrs as per google maps, but with breaks and all i made it 14hrs). So i decided to stay in my friends room where he stays in mehdipatnam on Friday and i thought of starting my journey as planned i.e., next day morning 4 am . I went there by 9.30 in night and lot of things happened :p. My friend is one a** h*** with all negative stuff loaded. He started talking all kind of negative vibes that spoils my thought and trip. Then as a god there came another friend and he just changed the topic to have a small party. we had each one beer and had good dinner(Natukodi Biryani). Its 11.30 in the night and i decided to sleep as i need to wake up early in the morning. Its a pent house and they are used to few things which i cant tolerate. They are not gonna switch on the fan as its chilling outside and second there are mosquitoes in the room ( alot , as many as i felt all mosquitoes in hyderabad are residing that flat). I tried for almost 1.30 hrs in different ways to sleep but man i can't. Finally i just came out , had a puff of cigarette and started again analysing. Its already 1 am in the morning and i set my alarm to 3.45 am which is almost 3 hrs from the time iam now. I was damn sure i will not sleep for another hour in that environment. So its 2 hours in total and it will be again a hell incomplete sleep. So the crazy beast in my mind roared again and decided to hit the road at 1 am .

The journey

I stopped at a hotel after crossing Elluru. I asked for tea and meanwhile i started making conversation with the guy over there. I said that i am travelling to Rajahmundry and asked him how long it gonna take(distance and time wise). He said if i gonna take the highway it will be 120 km more , but if i take a left turn after travelling few distance ( i don't remember the name of that place) it gonna take 85 kms. I thanked him and i resumed my journey. My bad i haven't took the left where he mentioned the name and i took the straight highway. I started feel tired because of journey and the sleepless night. I see more 70 kms when i stopped again to cool my bike engine. I saw two people under a big tree where i stopped and i asked them the way again to Rajamundry. This time they helped me perfectly by showing the shortcut which is 35 kms from where i was. I had water and i took the route they mentioned. The route is a single road (mainly the road that connects villages) and hopefully its ok with pits and all. i drove asking several people in the middle towards Rajamundry. The route is perfect to make mind feel relaxed and different(as iam on highway since 10 hrs, i don't have much to see around). The ride went next to the road of a canal which is all the way beside me till Rajamundry.

Day 1 - Rajamundry

I remember i reached gollapudi by 7.30 am around in the morning(yes i am in vijayawada). I stopped in front of a shop and i found that i am missing something . I forgot my brushing stuff. I purchased a brush and a toothpaste and started brushing on road. Guys this thing i never done before. I brushed and washed my mouth with the bottle water and washed my face with same bottle water(bottle emptied :p). I thought of switching on google maps to find a route towards Rajahmundry ( i don't want to travel inside the city and stuck in traffic , thought of finding any bypass kind of route) but i had a crazy thought like how people used to travel before google maps. So i haven't turned on my maps instead i started taking help of local people (if your a traveller then you will definitely recognise the local guy face who can help you). That idea worked and the route went from gollapudi , a tunnel and AH45(highway that goes to vishakapatnam). By the time i crossed vijayawada my hunger mummy started poking me. I was real damn hungry and i started looking my left for a good hotel. I saw one where the private buses are stopped, but its too crowded and i felt its gonna kill my time. I just stopped and purchased a water bottle over there and again i started my hunt for food. Finally i saw a good hotel which is a decent one and its 9.30 am in the morning when i stopped for breakfast. I had a plate of idly over there and relaxed for some time. I estimated my distance to Rajahmundry from there and google showed me its around 190 km and gonna take 3.30 hrs more time. I spent almost half an hour over there and again i resumed my journey towards Rajahmundry.

This time the journey really started getting bored. I was riding just like i need to ride, not enjoying the ride, roads or the views around me. Now this thing happened , the roads are really bad towards Elluru . I don't know is that due to the cyclone that happened 4 days back or they are not been repaired since long time, the pits , hurdles and road work really made some tough time to drive. All of a sudden i was over taking a biker to my right and i see more pits over there, so i leaned my bike more towards right. I heard a big horn on my back and its a bus which is coming at a good speed. I was shocked and i just leaned my bike to left. That was a close call and i just escaped in inches of distance. Thank god for staying with me. Then i stopped my bike, lighted my cigarette, got relaxed and then started again.

Finally i reached Rajamundry and iam damn tired due to journey. I stopped near a shop where i had a cigarette and a tata glucose. I asked the shop person for a good and cheap stay for the day. He mentioned me a hotel name which takes 10 mins and its a good one. I started looking and nowhere i can find that. I started heading into the city and i saw three hotels next to each other on my right. I stopped my bike to side and i went to the first hotel and asked for a room. He gave me three options and the cheap one is 600. I said iam ok with that amount and i checked in( I know its more even , but iam damn tired that i cant drive or roam anymore). That was a good room with all necessities. I had a TV, hot water and the hotel looks decent where i can see lot of family members checking in. The hotel name is Akansha Inn. I checked in and had a good bath with the hot water. I decided to eat as its already 2.30 in the afternoon and iam starving.

I woke up at 7 or 7.30 in the morning after a tight sleep. I felt fresh and energetic after a good amount of sleep(seriously a good ride will be more exciting when the rider have enough amount of sleep before the ride). I got brushed, took my bath and packed my luggage for my journey. I came down and checked out of the hotel . I tied my bag packs on my bike pillion and i started from hotel. I had a cup of tea near Rajamundry railway station and i set my google maps directly to Araku. It was 278 kms and a 6 hrs journey according to the maps. I travelled a few distance after Rajamundry and i stopped for my breakfast. I saw a small and tiny hotel where the cook is making Dosa. I ordered one and ate it . I had a cup of tea again and left towards destination.

After travelling 160 kms distance google showed me to take left . The straight road will be going to vishakapatnam and the left will leave to Anakapalli. There was a flyover and i need to pass from it. Once i crossed it the bad roads started. The roads are too narrow( only a single lorry / truck can fit). I just prayed to god that no obstacle come on my journey. The risk on travelling those narrow roads are if your bike got punctured you wont get any help, same with fuel and medication. I asked a person travelling on bike whether the route will lead to Araku. He said this is not the route and he never heard anyone saying we can reach Araku this way. I don't know what to say. Mind got blank for a while and i didn't stopped my ride while thinking. I decided to trust google mother as i had a good success rate in believing in my past. I resumed my journey on my confidence level. The road took me into many beautiful scenic views which i really enjoyed. I crossed farms, canals, mud roads and i saw complete village atmosphere through out my journey. After reaching certain point all of a sudden the temperature suddenly dropped and it started becoming cold. I was heading and then the beautiful road a rider wants to drive in life time began . The ghat started and it took into the agency region( backward areas where people live). I saw people carrying the bamboo sticks on their heads and walking through out ghats. I reached Paderu village and the view become more and more stunning. I loved the ride. Man such a beauty and its worth travelling all the way that far.

I started from there as i had a fear after seeing the crowd whether i can get a room to stay. I travelled for 10 kms and iam in araku. Now the tension became more when i enquired for the room in almost 4 places. Everyone had boards hanged up saying "No rooms available". Luckily i asked a hotel owner for the room and he said they are out of rooms, but he called one of his friend who is running a hotel near bus stop of araku and luckily he said he has a room for a single person(This is another disadvantage as you wont get single rooms easily). I went to the place searching and luckily the hotel has a big board shown up on main road. I went in and asked for the room and he said "No"(no rooms available , i was shocked). I explained him what ever happened at the previous hotel (the owner calling this hotel owner) and he some how got convinced. He offered me a two members occupancy room and he said the room costs 1200 rs. I really stepped back for a while but i thought its impossible if i miss this one. Luckily the owner showed up and he asked my name and smiled at me mentioning the call. He also said that he had seen me before and asked me whether i visited before. I said this is my first time and told him i visited vizag many times. He asked me for my address and i said iam from Hyderabad. Some how we had a friendly conversation and i asked for concession :p(this is what an indian do i guess). He gave me the room for 1000 rs and he said he cant reduce the amount anymore due to demand. I paid and i checked in. I removed my gear and put my luggage aside. I changed my clothes(didn't freshen up as its too cold in the evening) and came out to visit near places. I asked for places near by and the friendly owner refereed 4 places and one among them is "chaparai" . The rest three are coffee museum, tribal museum and padmavathi gardens. Frankly i don't prefer places like museums or art galleries. Somehow i never showed interest since my childhood on those areas so i thought of leaving to padmavathi gardens.

I think due to a long weekend and people left for trips i saw lot of crowd on roads and everywhere(my own colleague in my office visited Araku next day :p). I reached Padmavathi gardens and i had seen the board written over there. It showed me the closing time as 5 pm and when i take a look at my watch it was 4.15 pm. I analysed it gonna take 15 min to park my bike and get a ticket in the line and all i will be having is half an hour. So i dropped going there and i came back to main road. I had a Irani chai over there in coffee shop and i went into dilemma what to do now. I just turned my head to my right and i saw a movie poster over there(K.G.F). I had seen the theatre while iam searching the room and i decided to watch a movie. Isn't that stupid and crazy going all the way Araku and watching movie?. Hahaha, dudes i don't have an option. Its not an option actually. Basically iam a movie lover and i watch every movie (atleast a movie in theatre in a week). So, i took the right decision and i took my right towards the theatre :p. The movie was at 5.45 pm and it was around 5.20 pm. Not a big time so i time passed speaking to young guys over there and tightening my bike chain and lubing it. I asked them regarding the nearest places to visit in the morning and regarding Araku climate and the place. They are friendly and they joined me for movie as they already planned to watch movie. Iam luck as i had a gang of new friends. We watched the movie and it was a damn cult film . I enjoyed the movie and fun with gang. Movie was over and we came out and all of a sudden i started feeling cold (damn cold that i never experienced). I went to bike and i sat on it and it happened :D. The bike became wet due to the drizzling of fog. The gang laughed and they said we are lucky because its not too late. One of the member said wait for another half an hour and you cant step out due to the weather. I started my bike and said a good bye to my friends. I came to a hotel to have my dinner and i ordered for usual meal. The food is not good and i ate very less. I saw lot of kolkata people in the hotel and i was in kolkata for almost 45 days. I spoke to a family who are sharing table with me. They asked me regarding my trip and i explained them my craziness. They are surprised and happy for me(mainly the husband, as he wants to do in his young age). They wished me good luck and left. I came to hotel after my dinner and weather was crazier than me. I closed all my doors and i went completely inside blanket. It was 10 pm in the night and i really dont have any network in the place(only airtel and Jio works).I slept hoping for next day.

Day 3 - Vishakapatnam

I woke up in the morning at 7 am and its damn cold. The before night i checked with my hotel owner cousin(he is good regarding places and time that take to visit the places near araku). I told him my plan to visit Borra caves and Katiki waterfalls(my friends suggested me and i googled even to plan my trip). He said it depends on the crowd and it will definitely gonna take half of my day. I started my analysis :p . Borra caves opens at 9am in the morning and even i was the first person it gonna take atleast 1.30hrs roaming over there. From there Katiki waterfalls are 8 kms away. Katiki is the place where you cannot reach by your own vehicle instead we need to take a tour in local Bolero / jeeps which gonna cost 250rs. It gonna take time and i assumed the time will be atleast 3 pm covering these two places and heading back. I planned to travel Rajamundry back which gonna take 6 hrs again only if i opt the same route which i came. That route was scary in the morning times and in the night i can't take the risk. So i dropped my plan and i changed my plan and route. I decided to visit Vizag so that i can cover the beach( as i covered a hill station :P).

I started my bike at morning 7.15 and started riding towards vizag. I was stunned to see Araku in the morning as it was covered full of fog and people are enjoying in that mid winter. I personally feel Mid winter is a wonderful time to visit araku. I started driving through Ghat road and the view is Amazing. That was all the pain i took and iam happy it worth.

I loved the view and i started heading Rishikonda beach. I set my maps and it showed me another 10 kms. I started driving and in the middle i saw a way where i can take my bike nearer to the sea shore( not too nearer but where i can step into waves and can watch my bike). I went there parked my bike and unmounted my luggage(i really wanna step into water). I didnt saw much crowd over there and its hardly 6 members. I think its perfect and i kept my luggage on shore and ran towards water. I spent a decent time of 1.30 hrs over there playing with water and i had a company of two kids where there parents are busy chit chatting. We played and had fun.

I took all the fun of waves and i felt its time i need to say bye. I shake handed with the kids and i tied my luggage on my bike. I changed my costume(i put on my jeans and gear) and started my journey to Rajamundry.

I put the maps to Rajamundry and it routed up with vizag port. I really didn't had a chance to take a look when i was on the flyover as there are big walls constructed. I took the bypass and reached the highway. Turned off my gps and it was 1 pm i officially left from vizag. I headed on the AH45 and i was recollecting my memories while travelling. I enjoyed the Godavari district views while riding(the crop, the river, the villages and people). I stopped for my lunch at Payakaraopet and it was around 4 pm. I ordered again for usual meal(don't want to take risk at this time as journey is getting ended). I loved it as it was the best meal i had. They served me on Banana leaf with enough varieties(rice,curry, fry, dal, pickle, sambar, rasam, curd) and the taste is so good that i consumed as much as i can :p. I really ate over there lot and it was a normal good looking hotel. They charged me 70 rs and i really felt its more worth of the amount. Its a 45 mins break and i started to Rajumundry.

I planned my halts/ break times after i started from Payakraopet as i need to reach Rajamundry before sun light drops off. So i took only two breaks while riding. I reached Rajamundry by 5.30 pm and all of a sudden i started hearing crazy sound in my rear tyre of my bike. I felt like something went bad and when i checked the mudguard of the tyre is touching the tyre as it had a bent. I recollected and i remember that this happened due to the incident happened in the morning when iam heading vizag from Araku. There was a speed breaker on the road and i saw that all of a sudden when i approached nearer. I was on a good speed but due to the disk in my front tyre i can slow down immediately. But there was a biker coming next to me with good speed he cannot do the same as his bike has drum breaks. He bumped me from the back and there was a situation where my number plate mudguard bent into my tyre. I took that and made it straight but i forgot to check keenly as iam on middle of road. It was the tyre mudguard that bent at the time and it got burnt and tore due to the speed i rode my bike. Luckily i was in Rajumundry and i found a mechanic and asked him to repair it. He said its better to remove that as its not so useful and completely damaged. He removed it and kept it as a memory of mine(he didnt charged anything actually). I reached the railway station as i really felt the hotel was good that i stayed while iam coming. I went and asked for the room but he said the single bed is not available. He said he had a room and it costs 750 rs. I asked him for 600 but he didn't agreed as the actual price is 1000 rs. I convinced him finally for 700 rs and i checked in.

I took bath and came out for tea. I explore the shops by walk so i can stretch my legs. I walked few distance and came back to hotel. I found my TV is not getting on and called for a hotel guy. He helped me and i asked him for a good place where i can have dinner. He said a restaurant name and he said we can get order instead going there. But i said i want to spend some time in Rajamundry. I went back down at 8.30 pm after watching TV for some time. I asked him for the route to hotel and he helped me with points that i need to pass to reach. I travelled the pushkar ghat road and i felt the breeze of river Godavari. I reached the restaurant which is 3 km away from hotel. I heard its famous one in Rajamundry and it look like the one. The hotel name is Srikanya Grand and its a pretty good place and i recommend if you visit Rajamundry. I ordered good food(its a biryani ofcourse) as the waiter suggested. I had desert over there and i paid off and left. I drove to pushkar ghat and i sat there for some time having my puff of cigarette. Its 10 pm and i headed back to hotel. I crashed on bed as i felt sleepy and i need to cover a 450 kms of journey tommorow.

Back To Hyderabad

I spoke to a person in the hotel where i stayed. He was a boy and he asked me regarding my details. I said i was a s/w engineer and i work for some private company. He was a polytechnic graduate and he wants me to help in suggesting some hardware courses and where to study them. I love the enthusiasm in him and helped with few names.

I mounted my luggage on my bike pillion and i started my journey back to home at 8.30 am in the morning. All i kept in my mind is to reach home happy and safe. I decided to halt or take breaks depends on time and distance. I stopped for 3 times till Vijayawada. After reaching Vijayawada i tightened my bike chain again and i headed towards Hyderabad. It was almost 1 pm in the afternoon when i left Vijayawada. I travelled all the way till Suryapet having 2 small breaks in the middle and i reached by 4 pm. By the time i reached suryapet i was starving. I can't bear the hunger in me as i planned to stop at "7" (a famous hotel on the way to Vijayawada) so i stopped near a dhaba. I ordered for Roti and Egg burji. I ate and had a cup of tea and relaxed for some time.

I started from there and i remember it is 127 kms more to hyderabad. Then it all started , i really felt bored and the journey is not at all enjoyable. I was just driving because i want to reach home. I was maintaining a speed of 80 kms till then but because of no interest i raced my accelerator. I think every rider will go through the same feeling when he was about to complete the trip. On top of my mood the traffic on the highway started increasing. I started seeing lot of horns , vehicles and brakes of the vehicles. Somehow when i saw a board saying Hyderabad is 40 kms away and there was a smile on my lips. I travelled all the way in the city and it took another 1.30 hrs to reach home from L.B.Nagar. It was a 11.30 hrs journey and a distance of 450 kms i covered that day.

That was one of the safe and successful journey and went as expected. I ate my dinner and crashed on my bed by 9.30 pm and ...............................

Conclusion

The reason i want to blog the trip is i feel there are many people out there sitting and thinking to do this kind of journey. All i can say is yes , you can do it.

I prepared myself by going through many references(almost for 10 days i looked up for videos and blogs) for this journey. And i did few impossible things even like travelling without sleeping before night and hitting 430 kms without having any bike experience on highways.

I personally felt confident that i can do it because i want to do it. Prepare your mind so that your body will automatically adjust for the situations. Always have a good plan of where you want to ride so the journey will be safe.

Most important thing ,

"Take care of your Bike, it will take care of you and make all the impossibles happen"

I said that because i rode on a bike where its condition is bit not good. Though i get serviced few things are out of my box and i had that only fear throughout my journey. Good bike makes your trip unforgettable.

I wish all those dreamers who wants to ride a good luck and i thank god for making my dream come true.

I would like to thank few of my friends who supported me in this journey(though they are not part of the journey, there things are part of it :P).

Phani(quiceff) - for the bike.

Abhi - financial help

Harish - For helmet.

Niranjan Anna - for the jacket.

Kalpana - for the bag pack.

Santosh Anna - for the gloves.

Chandu and Kiran - for the moral support regarding the bike.

Happy Riding :)

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