We exited the Bodhi Complex and by 3.55 pm - 11730 km, we reached in front of Buddha Stupa. Unfortunately, the complex was closed on that day as some officials from Thailand were visiting the place. Hard Luck! Taking pictures were were also difficult as there was too much of light from the facing horizon to take a clean shot of the Buddha
Statue.
After visiting few other places, like excavated ruins, temples and other religious sites & tourist spots, by 4.32 pm - 11734 km, we reached UP Tourism Bungalow for lunch. A beautiful Jain temple stood at the adjacent lot. A Korean Monastery was also nearby.
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| Kay Kay & Me atop an excavated ruin |
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| Manmohan sounding the bell at a Buddha temple. He sounded it 16 times for the entire group. |
It was 5.20 pm - 11734 (196 km on trip meter) – Had a frugal (even that
would be euphemism) lunch from the UP Tourism bungalow. Zrichard, a dedicated body builder, gave me some free tips on fitness during the lunch which was very expensive. The lootera hotel charged us 30 rupees for one parantha. We split it in the common account like always, but decided to go dutch for
the drinks tonight. Left back to Amit Singh's Ranch.
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| The UP Tourism Bungalow a.k.a Lootera Hotel [Photo Credit: Munish Khan] |
6.46 pm - 11779 km.
On the way to Bahraich, 5 to 10 km more. Had a couple of hiccups on the way. My motorbike’s key sometimes moves from its position
when the bike jerks over potholes. Got a lil' panicky and then turned on the choke for
kick starting and forgot to turn it off. My mean machine ran about 10 km with the
choke ON, superfluous burning of precious fuel and possible spark plug burn
out and carbon coating which has to be now cleaned up. Waiting for the guys who have gone to
buy some drinks - are they brewing it? :-}
Bahraich City Traffic is very messy. I had one bad experience before while going to Nepal with Joseph. This time I've evidence. More animals on the road that humans :-)
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| A cow blocking the traffic at Bahraich |
7.35 pm - 11795 km (256 km) – Back at Amit Singh’s
Ranch – Everybody getting ready to take a shower and be fresh for tonight’s
party. We have to cook food. Som and Manmohan are the main chefs, legends among
ASR riders with their secret ingredient that makes chicken curry the best dish
on earth. 12 chickens have been slayed for 15 riders, 3 of whom are pure
vegetarians, who’ll be helped with vegetarian biriyani. Additional chicken
biriyani has also been ordered. The shower is in open air. You need to fill the
bucket with water using hand pump and help yourselves with a gush of liquid
bliss over your head. Our expert photographers were showing no mercy towards the half naked
souls, (especially Piyush Gupta) shielding themselves from the awkward angles.
The first to come out after the bath was Austin Raj.
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| Too hungry for cooked food - Manmohan & Kay Kay! |
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| Manmohan & Som preparing chicken fry for dinner [Photo Credit: Zrichard Zudema] |
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| All in a days work: Story of a Hen [Photo Credit: Munish Khan] |
11.23 pm – Had a wholesome dinner
with chicken and biriyani. Lots of interesting conversations. To remember in
chronological sequence: How agriculture is done here at Amit’s farm. Types of
Mangoes, the local ones from Malhihabad, Alphonso mangos from Goa, the exports
during good season and availability in local markets only during bad seasons.
Then the talk drifted to confessions of Enfield Riders. Vivek Singhore started
off by elaborating on his experience on the Ride to Munsiari, when the rain was
merciless and the weather conditions extreme. Then a bit of fooling around the
Ladakh Ride. The quentessential ADS problem of the rider we won't name here.
Austin's & Ajit's melodrama at Narkhanda. My experience after Changla pass
where Saurabh pushed the unrelenting machine for 11 km at 14000 feet. Austin's
plan to go to Tibet on bullet, which eventually became a buzz among all. The
talk freewheeled back and forth about couple of random things – jokes
and stuff – and yet lots of biriyani and chicken left. We went up to sleep on
the terrace of the farm house building.
22 September 2013, Sunday:
00.51 am – Taking about ghosts,
genies, spirits and sixth sense. Austin shared a story about seeing a Muslim
Jinn in his childhood. Vivek Singhore refuted, saying that all religions are
man-made and that constant conditioning of your mind from childhood, sometimes
makes you see things out of fear, even when you don't want to see it. To add to
the Masala, Amit revealed the fact that the farm was
bought from a Sardarji, who was cremated in this very farm after his death. Ha!
The eternal watch for the Sardarji begins.
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| We were on the 'look out' for something like this! [Photo Credit: Munish Khan] |
Then the talks inevitably moved onto army stuff. This happens during every meet and I really find it very entertaining.
5.15 am – It was pretty early for me to get sleep at
2 o'clock. Woke up to Cock-a-doodle-doos of 30,000 chickens when the cow said Moooo. You should try waking up to that someday, quite an experience. Zrichard was up and busy taking pictures of the sleeping logs. Munish was sort of up
– on and off. The sky was star studded and absolutely clear without a speck of dust. I sat up counting the stars and trying to decipher the constellations. Venus, the morning star, was the brightest object in
the sky after the moon.
5.30 am – Sound of prayers coming from the nearby mosque, birds chirruping, nice calm
breeze, the golden rays of the sun were just blanketing the darkness. After a wait, that seemed like eternity, the sun popped out just in an instant. Yet everybody were still dozing, nice time for a morning nap.
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| Rooftop Napping |
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| Mayank making tea [Photo Credit: Zrichard Zudema] |
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| Chatting over breakfast [Photo Credit: Zrichard Judema] |
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| Vivek Singhore - Happy Happy! [Photo Credit: Zrichard Judema] |
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| Austin Powers - Getting ready for a morning ride [Photo Credit: Zrichard Judema] |
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| Zrichard getting charged by Solar Energy [Photo Credit: Munish Khan] |
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| Different Models of Thunderbird from RE Stable [Photo Credit: Manmohan] |
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| The Knowing Smile [Photo Credit: Zrichard Zudema] |
8.50 am – 11795 km – Took bath, we had breakfast –
bread with jam or/and butter with tea, took a few snaps of the motorbikes with and without us and then started back to Lucknow. My bike had a relay problem which Deevaashis Babla fixed quickly. Said he's going to open a servicing shop, giving a better deal than the market price. Hear, hear, ya'll !
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| 2 Apples a day keeps Dr. Zrichard away [Photo Credit: Munish Khan] |
11.42 am – 11853 km (315 km on trip
meter) – Reached Ganeshpur. The road was full of potholes (looked like there
were more on the way back, just dug up exclusively for us). Some of the riders
developed pain in the back. Tip: Get bungee ropes next time so that you can
fasten your backpack to the motorcycle instead of carrying it. I wouldn't recommend carrying more
than 2 kg on your back while on long drives. Again, faced some problems with my
bike – relay was weak, front shock absorbers were leaking - the oil seal must
have broken, the key lock problem persists. Need to get the motorbike serviced
on a priority basis. Meanwhile, Piyush distributed us the donor cards for the
blood donation we did on Independence Day. Som, Mayank and Austin had B+ blood
group while I had A+ blood group. Som contemplating on another idea: Iron Butt
ride from Jaipur to Kolkatta. Phew! 1000 miles to be covered in 24 hours. Yeah
right!
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| Tiger Babla enjoying tea! [Photo Credit: Zrichard Judema] |
1.28 pm – 11914 km (376 km on trip meter) – back at RE showroom
– most of the guys had detoured back home. I was waiting for Som, Mayank, Manmohan, and Vivek singhore. Had to drop 2
bags belonging to Munish and Ashish – hope they’ll come here or I’ll drop it at the show room from where they may pick it up. Waited for a
couple of minutes when half a dozen riders rode in. We were at the showroom for some time, had Mixed Veg Vada Pav from from Goli, a shop at the RE show-room basement. They said mixed veg was the favorite of most staff at RE. We had a lil' chat over the grub. Mayank and Som were planning on the next long trip to Ladakh next year and told me to join from Delhi. Manmohan was saying the next trip could be in the 3rd week to Oct , possibly to Banaras. Som gifted me a Sravasti flag - awesome, colorful, and beautiful. Som told me to get bike serviced from Kamil. Left back to campus with Vivek, who showed me through a couple of shortcuts to Purania, from where it was a solo ride. Got a chilled can on the way back to cool down after the ride in the scorching heat.
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| The Shravasti Flag that Som bhaiya gifted me! |
2.56 pm – 11927 km (389 km on trip meter) - Reached IIML Campus.
