First of all there is no mandatory for you to read this. You don't have to read it just because you have clicked it. I am not prove anything here. Just a traveler traveling. Go on if you appreciate traveling. And believe me this is not that kind of blackmail when girls say 'Okay..it's your wish..do whatever you want. Who am i to have a say in your life' ;) ;)
The trip all started with my desire to test my physical and mental endurance through cycling.
I have been cycling for past 1 year. Not the whole 2 years. Bit by bit. Here and there.
Only long drive was to Kovalam from Thiruvanmiyur with my MoMo buddy.
Other than that all included moving in and around Chennai.
So I was keen on doing this for last 1 year. I was going to do it with MoMo but due to some reasons we couldn't do it for last 1 year.
But the thought kept bulbing often, like a tube light though ;)
So on 30th May, when I was on MTC bus from Madhavaram to CMBT, the window seat and the air and the 'Vaanam Thilathilakkanu' on the ears made a breezy and crazy me amidst all those traffic around. That's when i had that thought of going to Pondy alone. In Cycle. On Barefoot. Believe me, you get life changing ideas on MTC buses often. I don't know whether this was a life changing one. Leaving it your guesses while reaching the end of this post.
So, the inspiration is done and the decision to go is done while sitting on the floors of CMBT bus terminal while waiting for D70 to Velachery. A mind with a new idea is like a guy/girl with a new other half. You won't stop ;)
So, the D70 came. Again a window seat. Same air. Still in breezy and crazy mood. So thought of deciding before that mood goes off. I think i have mood swings like market prices. It keeps changing and not at all steady. High and Low.
So, the plan is made too. 3:30 in the morning to start. Still don't know why I chose that timing. Start from here through ECR to Mahabalipuram and through to Pondy all the way. Looked as simple as that. But.. No, let me keep you in guess for the real happenings. Made note of all i wanted to carry. Camera, water bottle, a book and power bank are must. Others are optional for me. And those optionals came in plenty for my slavish mind. Those are one set of dress and another book.
So, got down at Velachery with a set mind and took M1 to my room. That 5 min ride gave all those pleasures of imagination of travelling. I was on hign one with that awesome breeze and the sliding bus speed on the sliding side of the Velachery railway station bridge.
And again walked for 5 mins and i was thinking about how my leg will cope up that too my left leg which had a small sprain 6 months ago. I told myself that i would wind up the trip at any point of that sprain popping up like an ex.
In the Room:
1) Google Maps - Check (single straight road. so need of maps. 142 kms on road)
2) Bag packing - Check
3) Camera charge and card- Check (bcz ask a photographer about getting a right frame and right amount of colors and the right moment but wasting it forgetting the sd card or charger)
Everything looked good and went to sleep at 1pm. 2.30 hours to go.
Alarm on 3:30. Didn't work out. I know it won't. So i had a back up plan which worked out. Asked my friend to call and at 3:40. Got up. But still slept for another 5 mins since that 5 mins is like the starting point of my trip and eventually decides my trip. Lazy me says to call off and sleep off. The other me says to get up and it have to convince the other half to get up and go out. So, that convincing needs great determination (at least for me) and that determination will take you all the way along the trip. So it happened and got out.
Started the trip with the same 'Vaanam Thilathilakkanu' as a tribute. Just kidding. Happened accidentally due to random playlist.
From here i will split up the trip according to the pit stops:
1) First stop after ECR water tank signal. No pain or gasps. Just stood there for 2 mins and drank water and started again
2) A closed TASMAC after Kovalam check post. 10 mins here
3) Sunrise. Clicked a picture of it.
That's when took my camera and tied it to the central bar of my cycle. You can see how it looks after 2 more pit stops.
4) 5kms before mahabalipuram. Water is drained. So stopped to have a tea and fill water there. Free water is a dangerous thing to ask and it's not good though. Just my belief. Had tea and that's when
Tea shop owner: 'do you want some booze?'
Me: at 7 in the morning?
Tea shop owner: yeah..you can get it anytime you want..due to closure of shops nearby, i always have stock of it
Me: No anna, i am going for that only
Tea Shop Owner: Pondy huh?
Smiled back and started back. Obvious right :D
5) TMB ATM after Mahabalipuram signal. I went in to get money but got welcomed with goosebumps. When those sweats meets those freezing AC inside..it's a whole different feeling. Had a thought though. When not so TMB ATM can give that freezing AC, how come Rs.25 charging per transaction SBI can't even have a fan in Kaiveli signal. Just asking.
That's where i took that photo in the front..
6) Next is somewhere where I found a hotel to eat after a little long ride. It's 8 am. 1 set of Poori and 2 idlis. Had to spend less since I am little broke. Then sat on the bus stop and watched people getting in buses and sharer autos going about their work. Then started again at 9am
7) Next stop somewhere in a shady tree somewhere in ECR. It was a flood controlling structure parallel to the raod. Lied down for sometime and the breeze made me sleep for 5 mins. And woke up suddenly to realize i kept camera and cycle in the open and slept. what to do? Tree shade and sleep - one of the best combinations ever.
8) Somewhere again on a shady tree. Now no flood control structure. So just laid on the soil on the side of the road. Didn't sleep now and kept eye on cycle and camera. Took off after 10 mins of lying down.
9) Next stop was unplanned. Passes over a bridge and saw a small lake. So got down to take a dip. But lately realized it had only water little below my knee. Anyway threw myself down and dipped myself. Felt awesome in the scorching heat which just started. But, i wasn't aware about the subsequent consequences and started
10) Then, after 15 mins of travel spotted a cycle kept over a tree. Thought that was a good frame and tried taking a photo but didn't come up well though.
11) 10 mins of cycling came the consequence. Puncture. 1PM it was. That bathing episode was the reason. The route down to lake had horns and made things happen. Didn't know what to do. Wasn't able to walk on tar road due to scorching heat. So just looked around to find a Poclain vehicle. Walked on the soil side of the road to avoid heat of the road and reached there. He told that puncture shop is 1 km away. So walked only to find it closed.
When inquired came to know that he went for lunch and will be back soon. So, sat on the bench there for 15 mins. He didn't show up. Didn't know what to do. Luckily the shop was under a tree. so obviously i laid down on the bench after keeping camera safe and locking the vehicle. Didn't know when i slept but when i woke up i found it's been 2 hrs.
But still the owner was evading me. Then a guy got down there from a share auto to go to his home. He inquired about my situation and told me that the owner's home is nearby. So, i decided to walk and bring him. When asking for directions to his house, a little kid helped me. (Remember this kid)
Reached his house and he was lazier than me. He was just sleeping off the day like a king. Asked him many times after which he decided to come. Walked back. And while repairing the puncture, his sleepiness was gone and he was very fluent with me. When he found out the horn which caused the puncture, he laughed and said,
'See..this kid (the horn) only..he is very good at all these activities. He is always around here and available everywhere'
I said 'The kid who gives you business'
And we both laughed
Paid him and started off again at 3:15 PM.
When i passed his house, that kid who showed me way before looked at me and waved saying 'Bye Anna'. I too waved back
I decided not to have since i know i am out of time. I have to reach Pondy before 10 PM. Reason is the roads don't have lights and i too don't have a light on my cycle too. That seemed dangerous.
12) Stopped on a tea shop on the way. Had bajjis and tea. Filled water bottle. Bought 2 bananas which i thought would help. Had a kid there who kept on smiling at me and my cycle.
13) 4:30 PM After this, I didn't remember how many pit stops i made because at this point the stamina started draining out. Legs started paining a bit. So, I am just going to skim through whatever comes to my mind. Remember a pit stop where i was lying inside a circle of trees by the road with their leaves as bed. Remembering of feeling that water drop on your throat after a gruesome ride.
5:30 PM I kept on riding with pit stops for every half an hour. Break time was 15mins
6:30 PM Riding time reduced to 20 mins with 15mins of break time
7:00 PM 15 mins of riding and 15mins of break time
I still remember one pit stop after a toll booth where i was lying down with hands and legs open to free my legs. Now the leg pain started increasing. People passing through thought something happened. Somebody even came closer and inquired.
7:30 PM The cycle was shaking and instantly i knew why. And again a puncture. Didn't know what to do. Kept my cycle down. It was really dark. I just sat down there for another 5mins without thinking of anything
That's when 2 guys came out of a house nearby to inquire. When i told about the story, they were excited about the trip and asked me a lot about the trip. Then they said a repair shop is 1 km down the road. So, i thanked them took the cycle and started riding slowly. Whole air went out and got down and that's when i heard that voice. Those two guys were on a bike and said
'Hop on. Let us drop you at the repair shop'
I just obeyed them. The guy at the back helped me in holding the cycle and we went riding. I felt good.
The mechanic there said 'I don't do Cycles. I do only motorbikes'
Then i had to tell my story to convince him to do cycles. Then, he even complained about his younger brother who is also crazy for cycles and bought a 25k cycle that too on a second hand. I just laughed. He even told me the route.
8:00 PM 15kms still ahead
2 kms ahead and legs started paining heavily. First thought of abandoning and trying alternative to go back and stay somewhere near. But, something in me was badly wanting me to finish. It said '129 done and only 13 remaining'.
After that, i started riding madly like the last lap on the race. On every 15 min pit stop i made for every 15 min of ride, i looked like a full drank on the side of the road. I pushed myself again and again till i reached city limits. (not trying to be hero here. Just what happened)
Only 3 kms ahead.
Then, i had this thought about booze. The other said was like 'Still no destination reached and no accommodation and no food. But booze?'
I thought 'what's the point of coming all the way to Pondy and not boozing?'
So, i stopped and bought booze and rode back to Pothys (neat that shop is a whole lot of lodges to stay)
Had to move around for another 30 mins to find a cheap lodge for 300/head. Booked it. Got food and boozed and slept away
The next day too wasn't much. Didn't feel like going out. Legs are still paining. So planned to booze again. That's when i felt of boozing alone. So i asked the room boy Anna,
Me: Anna, you booze?
Room Boy Anna: do you have? (with little fear for manager)
Me: yes..you want?
Room Boy Anna: yes
Me: Bring glass Anna..i have only one
(he went and got one. I poured him from inside the room and he mixed it with water from the outside. He is afraid that Manager might scold for boozing with customer)
Me: Cheers Anna
Room Boy Anna: Cheers Thambi
And there, a bond formed with a door in between. Stories were shared and laughs cracked.
Slept again and started at 4 PM from room.
Ride to bus stand was 3 only KMs and i found it very painful. And yeah, return by bus since leg is really painful. Conductors were reluctant to take cycle on top and after lot of inquiries one agreed. And i forgot to mention, i bought 2 full of OLD MONK. This has an interesting part to it in the future proceedings :P
Hide those 2 fulls on the top along with the cycle to evade from checking and came down and boarded the bus happily. 'Vaanam Thilathilakkanu' again. Now, it's situational in order to celebrate the moment. It's sentimental too since it sparked the plan.
Took a photo of the sunset.
As the bus was speeding forward, i still can't believe i made out all the way last night. I was very relaxed sliding on the seat and felt very happy for myself.
That's when the nearby guy started speaking. He is around 50. Married and an Interior Designer.
He was interested about my trip and kept asking questions. During the talk, we talked about booze and he got very much interested. Seems he used to drink while young but not now. He said he got tempted now and will definitely booze after getting down at Chennai. We talked about the type of mixing we guys do nowadays. He told about how LASSI was a great mixing for him back then.
The bus too had a pit stop :D
I realized the Pondy check post is behind us and so got on to top again and took the booze down since i was constantly worrying that it might get broken due to shaking of bus. I kept it inside my bag. Bus started again and some talks and songs continued till Mayajaal toll gate
That's when the nearby guy alerted alerted me about the police checking. I suddenly took one bottle out and tried getting it's label out. On halfway of that job, police got it. For a second, i didn't know what to do. The next second i thought 'Let anything happen' and put the bottles inside the bag and kept it under my seat. I was just checking out police actions to look casual. They checked 2 bags on top and got down
Now the nearby guy pinched me laughing 'one hell of a lucky guy you are' as if his booze got saved. I laughed back. Thiruvanmiyur approached and came in front to get down. That's when a lady asked me to help get her bag down. I helped her. (this might seem unrelatable now but not later).
Got down. Ran to get down the cycle since conductor was pressuring me. I got up the bus and took it down in with left and holding on the right. I was struggling halfway and that's when that women signaled her husband to help me. He came running and helped get down the vehicle. I thanked him and smiled at the lady.
Then, rode back to room with a fruit mixer drink along the way. This was very painful too.
Had a bathe, laid down to reflect on the travel.
'i am not going to say like about mental endurance or physical endurance. Everything just happened at the right time at the right place. That's what travel is. The guys who helped me on second puncture and room boy who boozed with me on lodge and the guy who felt happy for my booze being saved. All these just happened and came new experiences and new memories with new friends. The best part was nothing of these was not planned'
I have planned to do this sometime again, this time back and fro along with my buddy MoMo..let's see..'
