My Big Escapade - Destination Unknown...: September 2009

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Stuff i took along

Tankbag:
--------
Eicher Road Map book
Lonely planet book
Tissue papers
Copies of permits.
Laptop along with Wireless modem In a cusion cover
The above rolled in thick track pant went in a thick plastic cover
Laptop charger
Camera charger
2 Phone chargers
2 phone data cables
2 Spare helmet visors
cotton pack
Insulation tape
Multiplug socket
3 pin to 2 pin converter socket
Nose plier
Wire cutter/Sleav'er
A length of electric wire
Screwdriver
Bank account Cheque book
Small medicine kit
LED torch
spare torch batteries
sizzer
nail cutter
blade
2 pens
Liquid Mosquito Repellent.

Left Pannier:
-------------
Electric air pump
Spare tube
Duck tape
Puncture Kit:
Rod Livers to pull out the tire
Rubber patches
Gum to stick patches to the tube
Left Saddle bag:
Force tool kit
Puncture sealant
WD40
Maps and travel guide books
Spare Thicker gloves
One set thermals
Neck support
A set of casual dress
Rain suit

Right pannier:
--------------
Water heater rod
Camera tripod
Right Saddle bag:
Spanner set
Wrench
Spare Motorcycle jacket
2 Family photo albums
Shoes gaiters
Bike Spares:
clutch and front break livers
Clutch and accelerator cables
Chain tensioner
Gear liver
Disk pads 2
Bulbs 2

Back pack on rear seat:
-----------------------
2 pants
3 shirts
3 sets of undies
3 pairs of sox
2 towels
1 t shirt
1 bermuda
1 pair of slippers
1 Pajama
Toiletries
Electric Heating pad
Another medicine kit
Zip tie strips
Spare bike keys

The back pack strapped by a bungee net
Same net holds two water bottles
Plastic cover over the above
Another bungee net to secure the plastic cover

Stuff in Medicine kit:
---------------------
Band aids all sizes
Tabs for Cold, Antibiotics, Loose motion, Headache, fever, body pain, AMS, Acidity.
Antacid tabs and Lorenzes
Nasel drops
Iodex Balm
Moov Pain relief spray
Vicks vaporub
Pain relief gel
Glucose powder packet

Stuff in Toiletries:
------------------
Soap
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Shampoo sachets
Small hair bottle
Talcum power
Moisturizing cream
SPF sun block
Vaseline

What i wore:
-------------
A set of undies!
Cargo pant
formal shirt
Thick ankle high woodland shoes n sox!
Camera in a waist pouch
Knee pads inside pants
Motorcycle jacket
Riding gloves
Helmet
Watch
Goggles (in jacket pocket or on the face)
Cell Phone with headphones in shirt pocket along with spare cash
In the pants pockets:
Right pocket: Wallet
Left pocket: Hankey, Lip balm, pen drive, coins
Left knee pocket : Documents for easy access
Passport, Bike RC book, Insurance, Driving/Riding License,
Photographs, permits.
Right Knee pocket: miscellaneous.

Stuff about panniers-
Custom made from Galvanized sheets.
A half centimeter cushion stuck inside and a black rexine leather stuck outside to reduce vibrations and metal flapping noise.

The caps open to the outside on both sides so that Cramster saddle bag can go in both the panniers. The idea is the let the saddle bag take most of the weight and the pannier be a metal cover carrying its own weight.

There are slits to the inside of the panniers to accommodate resting flap of the saddle bag, once the panniers are closed.

First mount point for the Right Pannier

Second mount point for Right pannier, resting on the silencer...

Looking inside, the nut screws right into the silencer...

Third mount point of Right pannier. A custome made metal tube in the place of Indicator socket.

First mount point of the Left pannier, Resting on Saree guard...

Second mount point of Left pannier. Metal fabricated piece welded to Saree guard and screwed to pannier...

Third mount point of Left pannier...

Since the Indicator socket is used up by the metal tubes to support the panniers and occupying its space, the Indicators move back and are fixed on the Number Plate.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Trip Stats

KMs
---
No of KMs = 25508.
No of days = 175.
Avg KMs per day = 145 KMs.

No of Riding days = 110.
No of Non Riding days = 65.
Avg KMs per Riding day = 232 KMs

Max Kms traveled in a day = 672 kms Day 1, Bangalore to Vijaywada.
Min Kms traveled in a day = 50 kms Day 173, Trichy to Tanjavur.

Pictures
--------
Total pictures Clicked = 11248
Avg pix clicked per day = 64

Trip cost
----------
Total cost of the trip including initial preparation = 2,50,000 + Rs

The Breakup:
Preparation cost before trip = 30000 Rs (Approx)
Phone chareges including Internet for laptop = 20000 Rs (Approx)
Major Incidental Expences = 12000 Rs (Approx)
Miscellaneous expances = 10000 Rs (Approx)
Fuel cost = 45000 Rs (Approx : See below)
Hotel Stay cost = 57210 Rs (See below)
Bike Maintenance cost = 19650 Rs (See below)
Food cost = 55000 Rs (Approx)

The Avgs:

Avg cost of the trip per day = 1428 Rs
Cost During the trip = 220000 Rs
Avg Cost During the trip per day = 1257 Rs.
Avg Phone cost per day = 114 Rs
Avg Miscellaneous expenses per day = 57 Rs.
Avg food cost per day = 314 Rs.

Major Incidental Expences = 12000 Rs (Approx)
(Flights between kathmandu & Lukla 5000 Rs, Hospital charges for the kid 7000 Rs)

Fuel
----
Total Fuel = 1000 Ltrs Approx (Assuming 25 kmpl)
Avg fuel consumption per day = 5.7 Ltrs
Avg fuel consumption per riding day = 9 Ltrs

Total Fuel cost = 45000 Approx
Avg fuel cost per day = 257 Rs
Avg fuel cost per riding day = 409 Rs.

Bike Spares
-----------
Rear tire 2 changes = 5800 Rs
Front tire 2 changes = 2550 Rs

Chain Sprocket sets 3 changes = 2400 Rs
Front disk pads 4 changes = 900 Rs

Bike Maintenance
----------------
Engine oil changes, Service and Breakdown with spares = 8000 Approx

Bike Maintenance including the above bike spares = 19650 Rs

Avg cost of Bike Maintenance per day = 112 Rs
Avg cost of Bike Maintenance per riding day = 179 Rs

Food
----
Most expensive meal = 625 Rs Kathmandu
Least expensive meal = 5 Rs Tripura

Hotel Stay
----------
No of Places stayed = 90
No of Hotels stayed = 80
No of Days stayed in Hotel = 134
No of Days stayed with Friends and Relatives = 40

Total cost of hotel stay = 57210 Rs
Avg cost of hotel stay per day = 427 Rs
Avg cost of hotel stay for the whole trip = 327 Rs
Most expensive stay = 2200 Rs at Auli Clifftop Hotel
Least expensive stay = 50 Rs at Budha Lodge Gorekshep

Following is the list of Hotel Stays and the room Rent. Its Amazing how i can remember the rent paid and almost all the hotel names. Did lookup for the names and rent for very few of them from the logs. Did forget hotel names at places.

Place	Hotel	No Of Nights	Room Rent Per Day	Total cost
Vishakapatnam		2	600	1200
Aruku	Rajadhani	1	400	400
Bhuvaneshwar	Bhuvaneshwar	1	400	400
Puri	Samudra	2	700	1400
Digha	SeaHawk	1	700	700
Dimond Harbour	Sagarika	1	300	300
Sajnekhali	Sajnakhali T L	2	700	1400
Siliguri	Hill View	1	350	350
PheuntSholing	Paradise	2	450	900
Gedu		2	300	600
Thimpu	Tandin	3	450	1350
Jakar	River Lodge	1	500	500
Mangor		1	200	200
Tashigang	Druk	1	350	350
Cherrapunjee	Cherrapunjee holiday resort	1	500	500
Shillong	Prakash	4	450	1800
Kailasher	Kailasher Tourist Lodge	1	300	300
Melaghar	Sagarmahal	1	180	180
Khanmun	Tourist Lodge	1	200	200
Aizwal	Millennium	3	300	900
Jiribam	Dream Land	1	100	100
Imphal	Nirmala	1	550	550
Kohima	Fira	1	350	350
Kaziranga	Chikuni Guest house	2	650	1300
Bomdila	Tourist Lodge	1	150	150
Tavang	Dongphoo	3	500	1500
Tezpur	Parijatha	1	300	300
Gangtok	Kachan Residency	3	450	1350
Lachung	Karzang	1	250	250
Lachen	Lutong	1	350	350
Pelling	Garuda	1	350	350
Darjeeling	Grace Inn	2	300	600
Lahan	Godhuli	1	405	405
Kathmandu	Yanki	10	310	3100
Phakding		1	100	100
Namche Bazar	Yak	4	200	800
Tengboche	Himalayan view	1	200	200
Dingboche		1	200	200
Dingboche	Peace & Happiness	2	200	400
Lobuche		1	200	200
Gorakshep	Buddha Lodge	1	50	50
Lukla	Namaste	1	200	200
Pokhara	Barahi	6	550	3300
Jomsom	Xanadu	1	470	470
Gorakpur	Prasident	1	450	450
Varanasi	Temple on Ganges	2	625	1250
Luknow	Inder Residency	2	500	1000
Nainital		1	1000	1000
Almora	Deodar	2	500	1000
Nandprayag	Himalayan	1	300	300
Auli	Cliff Top	1	2200	2200
Srikot	Ram	1	350	350
Panchkula		1	550	550
Pathankot	Vishal	1	500	500
Srinagar	Aziz	3	550	1650
Sonamarg	Tent	1	500	500
Kargil	D'Zijila	2	650	1300
Rangdum	HomeStay	2	400	800
Padam	Tourist Lodge	1	200	200
Leh	Mehak	7	440	3080
Diskit	Sand dune Guest house	1	300	300
Surmur	A.O. Guest house	1	250	250
Lukung	Eco Huts	2	300	600
Chushul	PWD Guest house	1	200	200
Hanle	HomeStay	1	300	300
Karzok	Nomadic Life	1	300	300
Pang	Tent Dorm	1	200	200
Keylong	TashiDeleg	1	600	600
Manali	Devlok	1	400	400
Ajmer	Haveli Heritage Inn	1	550	550
Mount Abu	Ganesh	2	600	1200
Mahabaleshwar	Prince Palace	1	500	500
Palolem	Palolem Beach Resort	2	200	400
Shivmoga		1	450	450
Kanhangad		1	350	350
Ernakulam		1	400	400
Kanyakumari	TriSea	2	650	1300
Trichy	SKV	2	250	500
Tanjavur	Tamilnadu	1	650	650
Chennai	Aspai	1	1125	1125
Total		134		57210

Other Numbers:
No of Sims used = 9
No of Sims lost = 7 :(

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Day 175 - Aug 30 - Chennai to Home (Bangalore)

Aug30 at EveryTrail

Map created by EveryTrail: GPS Community

333 KMs Tripmeter 25508 KMs

Its the home run today. Keeping fingers crossed. The final few steps is what can be tough and anxious. Feel bettor than yesterday morning. But the cold in me and the heat outside still interfearing with my thinking about the moment. The ride back home. with good road all the way would take like 5-6 hours to get to Bangalore. So i start a bit late. Kiran was kind enough to come to the hotel and guide me out till the highway. Bid byes and time to get moving.

Was a typical hot day and its just a leisure ride on the wide and great NH46. Its just 4 or 6 six lane all they with noting much to differentiate between a km and other. Stop for a food at a highway hotel. Having cold on a hot summers day is frustrating. Cant have cooldrinks, cant sit outside and have to sit in the AC section so that its cool and then sit away from the AC so it wont be too cold. And have coffee too.

Get to Krishnagiri in good time and take a right at NH7 and this very familiar road. The landscape or i say roadscape is actually pretty around here. So stop a few times to click the roadscapes. Reach Hosur and call up dad saying i am near and have to deal with some traffic now. The traffic after Electronics city had eased up due to roads done pretty done and saved me some slow go.

Reach home in no time and glad to see my relieved Dad waiting for me. We hug and catchup after a long time. He congradulated me on the achievement which need not have been achieved he says :) Dunno what to write ahead but that i am Home.

The trips come to an end. Though kinda miss the talking with wind the days to come. I must say that i was tired and guess made it back just before my back took a real bad beating. Back in the comforts of home and the trip is yet to hit me i guess.

My partner the Karizma went places with out a hitch till it broke down in Veralimalai. Thanks to friends all over the country, got the help and information needed and helped me complete the trip.

Kiran seeing me off at chennai...

The gates to home...

Getting nearer...

Just clicking away the roadscapes today...

A full meals for lunch...

At this nice highway hotel...

Never seen such green 4lane road!

Trying out Bokeh...

Some shallow mountains to cross. Then things will get cooler...

Thats quite a topple over...

Missed my train...

Food for thought...

Hit the NH 7 and take a right to Bangalore...

Almost there....

Would have been riding up on the 15 km long flyover if that machine had worked any faster...

Traffic has eased out here thanks to the done up road in these months. Else it would be painfully slow here.

Last hurdle before home...

Father and son united :)

Goes into the parking for some time i guess...

Thats the Odoreading at the end of the trip. Reduse 10034 and get the Tripmeter of 25508 KMs

Day 174 - Aug 29 - Tanjavur to Chennai

Aug29 at EveryTrail

Map created by EveryTrail: GPS Trail Maps

345 KMs Trip Meter 25175 KMs.

Having trouble sleeping at night. As expected i was sick with fever by morning with weakness and all. Well i cant be smooth after all at the end of it i guess. Rest a day? well this was nothing like it was in Nepal. So went on with the plan for the day. Got up early and left room by 6am to check out the famous Tanjavur Big temple. This was a bit smaller compared to srirangam temple but the entire premises is free of regular life. The huge court yard in side couple of gates. It was awesome in the early morning coolness. But was hard work for me with fever. Looking at the top portion of the main tower, recollected a program about it in discovery channel few years back. Like the huge single piece of stone at the top was moved up by a 6 KM ramp. Cos not cranes in those times. But latest discovery says something else i heard. Even the center main temple was huge with a huge Shivlinga inside. Walk around the complex and it was time to ride on.

Had a long way to chennai and its going to get hot. Once again relied on riding to cure my illness ;) Got out of the hotel packing in slowmotion. Instead of going via Nagapatnam, thought of going via kumbakonam riding along the river Kaveri. Was suggested by arun which i took but not in the exact way. Stuck to the main roads and boy was it crowded over there. And i thought i would be riding in peaceful country side. Now with not so good sleep. I felt sleepy, real sleepy. Got pretty hard to control and had to stop for a tea. Things were bettor after that. Saw another huge colorful temple in Kumbakonam. Even in the next town as well. Later Arun tells me that there are around 17 huge temples in the area. With not so pleasurable ride i hit the coastal road to pondicherry. Traffic eased out here and can now ride peacefully.

Heard of people visiting Koodalur. Thought would check it out, then visit Mahabalipuram and then head to Chennai. Kiran was kinda enough come and wait for me ont he outskirts of chennai. Made it to pondicherry by 3 pm. Now i had to stop for the click at the meter. Yes i had made it to 25k Mark. Though not the target but was nice to see the number. It was getting late and heading directly to the ECR to make a run to chennai. Been to pondicherry before so can as well move on. Now i ride the famous East coast road. Keep seeing the sea to my right. Tempted to spend some time there but its getting late to chennai so i move on. Make it good pace to Mahabalipuram by 5.15pm. Vaugely remember going there in my child hood, where we had gone almost near to the beach in the car. But once there it was all crowded and vehicles were supposed to be parked quiet far from the beach or the shore temple. Well have to turn back then. Have a quick bite and communicated with Kiran who was on his way to meet me at Muttakodu.

Get there by 6.30 pm and meet up. Then follow him into Chennai. But boy was there traffic! and it was hot. Caught up in the peak evening traffic and its not even a weekday! Was an agonizing hour of riding in touch and go traffic, i was sick, tired, bike was heavy. It was tough time. Kiran patiently waited was my extra wide bike to get around the traffic. Plan was to stay in Vadapalli so that i would be easy to ride out tomm to Bangalore. Guess its better to deal with most of the traffic in the evening then the next day in the heat of the day. After no room at a hotel and another 20 mins to get to another one couple of kms ahead, took the expensive room as i was done riding for they day.

Phew things looked settled now. Freshen up in the room and ride out with Kiran to meet the Chennai guys for the dinner. It was a nice evening over bike talk with Kiran, Kishor, Steve, Vicky, Madhu and Ananth. I was surprised to see a cake with Destination unknown written on it along with 25! Looks like 25 is my number and what a coincedence tripped 25k kms today. Bid byes to the guys and back to the room. Well this is my last night out and hope to catch some good sleep before the home run tomm.

The Tanjavur Big temple...