Gokarna with friends

The night of 8th February we were set to travel to Gokarna from Bangalore. There were 6 of us, we booked a self drive Scorpio from Voler Cars and were ready to go out there and have fun.
The night however did not start as expected. We had decided to start at 8 in the evening, however our car was delayed by Voler, it was a lesson well learnt from the challenges I faced that evening. The car was supposed to be delivered at 5.30 pm which was finally delivered by Voler at 12.30 am. None the less, I picked up my friends from the point we were going to start and finally our journey started at 01.30 am in the night. Though we lost a lot of time, but we were happy that we were finally set out on the road.
Aarish took the responsibility to take us out of Bangalore and we were out on highway in no time. Once on the highway and the car moving at 100kms an hour, and nice songs playing in the background, our mood was all set for the fun ahead. Our first stop was at the CCD on NH 44, after having the Coffee I took up the driver's seat.
As I said we were six of us in the car, Aarish, Akrati, Kishore, Sujata, Vineeta and I (Kaustav). We continued on NH 44 for the next 5 odd hours and stopped for breakfast at 7 in the morning at a highway dhaba, after some rest and warm food we decided to swap driver's again and Aarish was good to take the responsibility to take us through the remaining of our journey. I volunteered to become his navigator holding the map. At around 9 in the morning we were driving through to Gokarna the roads were beautiful, crossing a stretch of Forest early in the morning I was resisting really hard to request for stop and bring my camera out for some bird photography, but then that was definitely not a wise idea since we had lost more than 6 hours in Bangalore.
Our gang behind was playing wonderful music to keep Aarish and I energetic and movitated enough to continue on the road. The talks in the car, was also setting up the mood, the in particular the #tenttopics. The journey in the car finally came to an end at 12.30 pm exactly 12 hours after we had started, we reached our destination a bit tired, but all set to make the most of it.
Our accommodation was booked on the beach however once we reached the place, we found it was not that hygenic and even the tents were dirty. So we quickly set out to look for other places and managed to find another nice place real quick on the same beach. After having a nice lunch we sat there as a team to discuss the plans for the evening and then everyone was in their rooms to get freshed up and catch up with a much deserved power nap. I on the other hand had ideas of my own. I took a nice cool shower, brought out my camera and went straight to the beach at 3.30 in the afternoon, I won't say that the weather was wonderful with summer knocking on the Indian doors, beach at 3.30 in there afternoon is frying but none the less I wanted to enjoy the view and take pictures even if the light was too much with the Sun shining bright. I did so, took some nice landscape photos and of the sea, to my surprise met Vineeta on the beach and even she had the same idea of not wasting time taking a power nap. After a little chit chat we decided to wake up the rest of the gang as it was already 4.30 in the evening and we had to get started with our adventure, and after successfully doing so we set foot out at 5 in the evening with the Sun still shining bright 🌞
We set out for Kudle beach, on our way Aarish, Akrati, Vineeta and Sujata decided to take a camel ride , so the poor camels had to bear with them 😛😜
Well I was busy taking their photographs and their wonderful expression, after finally doing away with the Camels and close to 50 shots we decided to continue on our journey toward Kudle, on the way playing beach football Aarish and I continued... Nobody could honestly tell looking at us that we had just covered 500 kms journey between us, as there was not a sign of exhaustion on our face and the same applies to our passengers. With so much energy we completed the trek in no time and we were at the Kudle beach. I must thank Kishori Lal for carrying my bag while I was busy with the football still.
On our way we met a few people had a bit of chat which is always nice when you are traveling. At Kudle I quickly got ready to snap the sunset on the beautiful Arabian Sea and I ended up snapping some 150 odd photos, rest of my friends were busy taking a dip in the sea except for Akrati and I all thanks to her again for keeping company and appreciating my photography. Good friends are those who keep each other motivated to do good work and I am blessed enough to have met them.
The sun had already gone down evening had set in the guys and gals after having a dip in the sea went to a small shack to change, except for Aarish he decided to accompany us, finally we set out for our stay and by 7 after completing through the same bit of trek we reached. After a quick fresh up we decided to sit at the beach, the evening was nice and airy and it started to get a bit colder from the afternoon, we ordered tea, with Aarish playing the guitar, we were all set for the perfect evening anyone could ask for. The Kishore Kumar and Mohammed Rafi within us started to come out bit by bit, we finished our dinner early after the tea since we wanted to continue till late in the night and didn't wish to sleep hungry, after completing the dinner and some lovely drinks with it, we continued with music, walk on the beach till 1.00 am in the night and then exhausted we retired to our rooms for a much deserved sleep. The fun was to continue the next day.

When it dawns it is a beginning to a new day! Well we believe in that and that's what makes a trip more fun.. After all the fun and exhaustion, all of us rested well in our den. I had plans to photograph the sunrise next morning and trek to the small hill forest for bird photography. It did not happen the way it was planned, I got up at 9 am in the morning, the Sun had already risen to full and birds had left their nest.. by now. So the next best thing to do was to jump into the sea, quickly got freshed up and went straight to the beach to find my other 5 partners in deep meditation at the beach, or some were practicing yoga. I had other plans which was as I said jump into the Sea, by the time I reached the beach I found dear Kishori Lal not meditating.. so both of us just ran inside the water.
It was refreshing the water was cold it was still not super hot outside so Kishore and I decided to be in the water for sometime, very soon we were joined by Sujata and her swimming stunts in the sea was worth watching (without a life jacket), but she was quick enough to learn that sea is very different than the swimming pools in the city after possibly gulping down half a litre of saline water, but as they say it is never too late to learn 😂🤣
Meanwhile the remaining 3 had completed their meditation and yoga and went to their rooms, we had fun for another 15 odd minutes and then decided to hog on food as we were hungry, breakfast was calling us to the tables. So we went to get freshed up, the bathrooms were occupied, so Kishori Lal planned to bathe in open air, there was a nice shower built by the property owner.. however I guess he forgot to pump the water to tank.. so Kishori being Kishore pleaded with songs to the shower and it went kind of like this (Aaja Aaja.. mein hu pyar tera... etc etc).. finally the water heard his voice and so that he doesn't sing anymore.. decided to flow and Kishori succeeded in having bath in the open air.. I have a video of that.. but that is exclusively for the group and can't be published here.
After breakfast the ladies decided to have a photo session on the beach and Aarish was kind enough to become the photographer, I was not available as I was hogging in food😛😜 and finally Akrati with all her might decided to conquer her fears and get into the sea. It was such a grace though she was mostly playing with the sand given the depth she was at. The photo session went well and after I finished up with my breakfast I did some photo sessions (I of course being the photographer😛😜) took some beautiful photos. Which again received lots of appreciation, after they were published.
So it was time to jump back into the car and head back to Bangalore..All packed and geared up for another 12 hours in the car we set foot on the road. We for sure knew it was going to be tiring, but we had company to keep each other motivated and the fun continued as we started. Sujata decided to be the navigator for myself and she did a very good job, I must say!
After picking up some essentials from Gokarna and filing in the car, we hit the road. Sujata from time to time kept giving me the distance being covered and I realized that we were actually going at a good rate, without taking much of a risk related to over speeding. The next best thing was the ghat roads, the road I must say was beautiful with so much green at both sides of the road, we couldn't resist ourselves but stop.
For the next hour we had photo sessions once again different poses and pictures being snapped, it was overall fun, nobody for sure even felt for a moment that we were going back to Bangalore and the trip was going to end in another few hours. We were just being there at that moment and we made the best of it. Well after the photo sessions it was time to get back on with the journey, the road ahead was difficult but it was definitely not impossible, so we climbed up and down through the ghats and we made the journey look cool with the beautiful songs playing in the background. Our DJ Vineeta and DJ Akrati had volunteered to take the responsibility and I must say they did a very good job! Except at times you know.. it happens 🤐
Our next stop had to be for lunch, but we could not find a good restaurant or a dhaba for that matter, Kishore was kind enough to get some Bananas and there were some snack to keep us going until we found something on the road. Meanwhile Aarish was busy trying to locate a good Dhaba, but the ones we found on Google map were not that great to sit and have lunch, the priority was hygiene, additionally most of them were shut(possibly because it was late in the afternoon). Anyways we continued with our snack and Sujata was kind to keep passing it to me as well! While I was focusing on the road, the chit chat, fun and humours in the car kept us going, even though everyone was super hungry by now. Finally we were out of the ghats and we were in the forest roads when Sujata decided to take a break from being the navigator and thereby donated her stoll to the leopards of the jungle, but it happens (badi badi deshon mein, aesi choti choti kand hoti rehti hai...😛😜)
So Kishori was my next navigator for another 80 odd kms till we touched the NH44, we made another small stop to hydrate ourselves with tender coconut water. Finally at 4 pm in the evening we found the dhaba we had breakfast at the previous day and stopped for I guess it is called brunch. By this time I had called upon Aarish to be my navigator and when we reached the dhaba I was exhausted and needed rest I had completed 4.5 hours of drive, Aarish was kind enough to take up the responsibility. We finished food and hit the road at 5 pm.. This time Aarish was the driver and scared (of roads) 😛😜 Akrati was the navigator. Well she did a good job as well, the music had stopped by now as we needed to chit chat a bit, and now that I was free from driving I strated with my sense of humor and I guess nobody felt offended because everyone was having a nice time.. Finally I realized I needed to shut up when Sujata plugged in her ear phones to listen to songs, that's when I decided to have a power nap. There was a nice conversation going in the front of the car which I guess kept both of them motivated to carry on, on the journey, with everybody by this time sleeping around them.
Trust me driving is tiring even if it is a passion for a person like I am. There has to be a lot of focus on the road as you are dealing with super heavy vehicles to unreasonable bikers on the highway, but once again I guess it is the company that matters and when you have good set of people you don't feel tired and can focus well!
It was around 8 we stopped for dinner and we were around 140 odd kms away from Bangalore, the weather had become good, it was raining outside, warm dinner was served and for me, ice cream was my dinner since the brunch I had eaten was quite heavy.
Took up the driving for the last few kms left and in midst of heavy rain maintained a good rate to finally reach the corridors of our homes at 12.00 am in the night. Dropped off Sujata at her place, and Kishori Lal near to his final destination. Rest of us retired at Vineeta's place for good.
Got up 4 am in the morning, Aarish had a flight back to his home dropped him off to the airport, reached home finally at 6 am in the morning. Home Sweet Home!
This trip was one of best I had! If not the best so far, it was all the more relaxing for all 6 of us.. I am sure it was a much needed break from our little battles we are fighting in life. Escaping is not a solution, however these small escapades keeps us going, there can be nothing other than travel and when there is a good company around can keep an individual relaxed. This is my take from this beautiful trip of 2 and half days.. and I just hope we have many more such trips to look forward to.. until then! Sayonara, Astalavista, Adios... 😀😀