The plan materialized after a few false starts. As the moniker goes – Graveyard of trip planning – Goa eluded me for a long time. The first time I went to Goa was on an Industrial Visit from my college in 2013. But it was not that memorable a trip. So I was looking forward to this trip. Initially, I decided to go by vista dome train. The train goes through Konkan Pass and hence the trail is abundant in scenic beauty. However, my long-term wish for a long bike ride crept up in my heart. Even though I had been riding a bike for the past nine odd years, it was the first time I was going to ride for 570km (12-14 hours) continuously.
The Plan
We three, Abhilash Ashan, Riju bhai, and I decided to plough out the Graveyard on the new year weekend – January 6-9, 2023. To escape from the hustle of the New Year, we selected the weekend after the New Year. We made a separate WhatsApp group and thus snowballed the plan into action. I booked Club Mahindra Palms Resort, Varca. At that time I had no idea that it was in South Goa and that it was not as happening as North Goa.
The preparation
I was excited about the trip, especially my first long bike ride. Even though I love to ride, I don’t have an iota of knowledge about basic maintenance or mechanical works of bikes. I saw some Youtube videos of the bike trip from Mumbai to Goa. There are two routes. NH 66 (Mumbai-Goa Highway) passes through the Mmbai-Panvel-Pen-Kolad-Khed-Chiplun-Pali-Sawantadi-Goa. The Google Map was showing 569km with a time of 12hr 15min. When I searched it was the most scenic route but also there were doubts about road conditions and the difficulty of the route with ghats and hairpin bends. As much as my heart wanted to explore that route, my head told me to take the NH48 route as it was an easy route for a newbie like me.
I serviced the bike, changed my front tire (Ceat 3000rs), and bought a magnetic tank bag (Rynox 3575 Rs). The bag is a wonder for riders because of the ease with which it can be mounted and demounted from the tank. I bought basic spares like a puncher kit and brake, and clutch cables just to be sure. I bought a new helmet (SMK 5000rs). Me and my bullet were ready for the ride.
The Bike Trip
A day before the trip I got severe cough and throat pain. I could feel the long slender fingers of the Graveyard winding my throat to make me cancel the trip. I decided to embark on the journey come what may. I packed my backpack and the tank bag and slept early. On D-day, I woke up at 3:30 am. After freshening up, I started my journey at 4:15 AM. The January winter morning breeze slapped my face and throttled my neck, and the whooshing sound of the wind murmured in my ears: “How dare you embark to the Graveyard that too on a bike with this cough?” I layered my chest with 2 jackets and covered my ears with a handkerchief.
NH748 which goes to Goa. The bad patches where road construction was going on made the ride difficult, especially after the butter-smooth NH48. Apart from that, there were no other vehicles on the road, creating doubt in me about the route.
Thus when I reached Mollem7 national park it was 7:00 pm and the light was gone from the sky. I was a little afraid as there was scarcely any vehicle going by and the check post was closed. But returning was not an option so I moved forward. The check post was closed to check the vehicle coming from Goa. I was allowed to pass. I gingerly rode my bike under the moonlit sky into the darkness in front of me. I felt that the Mollem National Park was opening its dark mouth and going to engulf me in its wide belly and the moon was witnessing it. As I crossed one hairpin bend, a small commotion of people was standing around two cars with their windshields broken and laying on the tarmac like the Mollem tried to crunch it with its big teeth. Slowly the fear crept into me. My throat was hurting like hell. Just then two jeeps crossed me. I rode my bike in tandem with the two jeeps as the road was narrow with sharp bends and there was forest on either side which prevented any vehicle from overtaking. We played that tandem dance till the end of Mollem. After exiting the forest I parked my bike and looked at the dark forest behind me. I felt a good tinkling sensation. I took some pics of the moonlit night.
It was 8:00 PM by then. Abhilash and Rijesh reached the resort and called me. I decided to ride continuously as it was only 1 hour to the resort. After getting lost in the city for some time, thanks to the Bobo holder, I reached the resort by 9:30 pm. I had lost my voice and was coughing like a TB patient by then. I gulped one crocin and slept like a baby.
The next day my cough subsided somewhat but throat pain was still lingering like a bad aftertaste in my mouth. The buffet breakfast was free at the resort. It was okayish. After breakfast, we rented out an Activa (500rs for one day) for 2 days. We went to Baga Beach in North Goa. It was 53km from our resort and we reached there by 12:30 pm. It was very hot on the beach so we decided to chill in a nearby shack. The beach was not that crowded since the new year was over. Till 4:30 pm we sat in the shack. We ordered Old Monk, Calsberg, fish fry, chicken fry, and 2 plates of fried rice. For 100 Rs we did a head massage. It was relaxing. Goa has this vibe, even if we don’t do anything and just sit in a shack, with a chilled beer, looking at the waves, melting at her susurration, drenching in the lazy beach breeze that seeps through each pore of our body, lying in the shade with the sleepy sunlight smooching our faces, we will feel relaxed.
I planned to do water sports at Baga Beach, visit Dil Chahta Hai fort, and a party at Titos Street, and go back late. But none of it happened. We were so enmeshed in the tranquillity of the shack and the beach that time crept out of us. By 4:30 pm we decided to do water sports. But it was a mistake. When we went to take the tickets, they demanded that we pay in cash. In this era of digital payments, no one will carry that much amount as cash. There was a guy beside the ticket counter who gave cash in exchange for online payment. He demanded 100Rs. for this mobile ATM service. We didn’t want to take part in this scam so went on a search for a nearby ATM. When we came back, it was almost 5:30 pm. The water sports were available till 6:00 pm. We decided to do water skiing only. 500rs each. They just took us for one round, barely a minute's ride. It’s like the ride ended before our rear touched the jet ski.
The Chapora Fort will be closed by 6:00 so we searched Google for any other place to visit. Thus we went to Aguda Fort and the beach. We reached there just before sunset and watched the sunset from the fort. Then we bathed in the Aguda beach under the starlit sky.
After the refreshing bath, we walked through the beach and found a shack with sea-facing chairs and breezy music. We ordered 3 ‘sex on the beach’ and a pizza.
Thus the first day in Goa was spent with lots of misses and some hits. But at the end of the day, witnessing the shimmering stars cuddling the lovestruck sea under the faint glow of moonlight, the artificial neon lights recreating that love with the beach sands, the soothing songs from the shacks playing chorus to the lazy evenings, the chilled beer oozing through our bodies like a fresh rivulet, made the day a memorable one.
We went back and reached the resort by 11:30 pm. Our clothes were filled with beech sand. We cleaned the clothes and bathed and slept.
I woke up early – by 6:30 am. The previous day we decided to play in the swimming pool at the resort. But Abhilash and Rijesh didn’t wake up. I don’t want to sleep around and waste my Goan days. I went to the nearby beach- Benaulim Beach. Even though I missed the sunrise, the beach was secluded, as South Goan beaches are not that crowded. So I spent an hour sitting on the beach and breathing in her susurration. These beeches are continuous and if we forget the entry point, where we parked our vehicle, then we will wander in search of it through the beach for quite some time; like I did that morning.
Then we had breakfast. Since it was our last day we ate our hearts out in that buffet. Then we went to Varca Beach at around 11:00 am. It seemed that the sun was punishing the beach for its night odyssey with the starlit night sky the previous day. We found a shack in the shade away from the freckling sunlight and ordered cashew feni and an old monk. The beach was secluded save for a few families. The shack was providing fresh fish fry. They showed us the fish before cleaning it. We ordered fish fry, fish curry, and rice. The fish fry and cashew feni mixed with Limca created a small heaven in our mouths. We were so engrossed in the serenity that Riju bhai missed his 4:30 pm return bus.
Then we went back to the resort and slept for a while. At 5:00 pm we went to sunset beech. It was a less crowded beach with a serene view of the sunset. I walked through the beach and there I saw paragliding being done after 6:00 pm, the boys trying to squeeze in a few trips before sunset. I knew it would not be a value-for-money proposition, but still, I gave 1200rs and did paragliding amongst the setting sun. As I flew into the receding sunlight, with a slight breeze slowly caressing my hair, the sea under me purring her secrets in my ears, I thought this was better than jet skiing but still not worth 1200rs.
We went back to the resort and had dinner. We lay beside the poolside and talked into the night. I went to pack my bags since I was planning to start my return journey by 6:00 am. By scrolling through the pics of the past few days, I thought that even though most of the plans didn’t work out, still I can say, Goa is tranquillity at its epitome.
The ride back
Since I don’t want to ride through Mollem in the darkness I started my ride back at 6:00 am. I entered Mollem at around 7:15am. It was beautiful to ride through Mollem as the sun rises on the horizon. As much as Mollem frightened me at night with its big dark opened mouth with teeth like tall tree trunks, entering Mollem in the morning was like waking up from sleep and seeing my mother with her arms open to hug me. Midway through Mollem I stopped at a tea shop. It was chilly. I drank the hot masala tea, with the rising sun in the forest as my background. I stood there dissolving in the hug of mother nature. I thought that I could just stand there, sipping hot tea, the aroma of masala tickling my nostrils, basking in the serenity of nature, for eternity to come. However, I had to go to the office the next day so I decided to resume my journey. I was planning to retrace route NH748. I asked the shopkeeper just for the sake of how to reach Belgvi. He told me that 2wheelers can go through SH30 which passes through Bhimgad wildlife sanctuary. It is closed from 6 pm to 6 am. I took that route. Even though the road condition is not that good for a long patch, it was very scenic. I had consciously decided that I will not get lured by her beauty and will keep my time management intact. I rode at a leisurely pace enjoying the scenic beauty. I entered NH48 in Belgavi and retraced the route of Kolhapur-Satara. I wanted to see the sunset in Lonavala. But by reaching Lonavala, it was 7:15 pm. The night city lights from Lonavala were a sight in itself. But since I was late, I decided to forego it and rode past Lonavala.
I got lost in the interjection of the old (NH48) and new Pune-Mumbai highway. Two wheelers are not allowed in the new expressway. I rode through the new expressway without finding an exit in the darkness. Big lorries and cars were whooshing past me. Their big bright yellowish and white lights, cutting through that darkness, made a frightening silhouette of me and my small bike on the road ahead of us. While maneuvering through the big lorries with their big fat tires and constant honking, I felt like I was stuck between a herd of elephants trumpeting past me . After riding gingerly for a few minutes, I saw one side road on Google Map. It was pitch dark and no vehicle was going through it. I decided to take that road. After riding for some time in that darkness, I saw a junction through which NH48 goes. It was Khopoli. I felt relieved. Then I rode straight through the NH48 past Navi Mumbai and reached home by 9:30 pm.
I was so exhausted by then. I freshened up and went straight to sleep after messaging my whereabouts to my mother. While slowly slipping into a deep slumber, a sweet tange of the masala tea from the Mollem tea stall lingered in my mouth and my soul was ready for another bike ride.
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