Day 3: Pune to Surat

Pune – Thane – Vapi – Surat

In the previous post, I related little insights on my journey from Kolhapur to Pune. It was a disappointing day, and the excessive heat made things worse. But if I was bothered by the heat during my Day 2 ride, I had absolutely no idea what was in store for me as I advanced north – crossing Gujarat and Rajasthan before reaching Delhi in the first leg of my long and trying journey. But first, my account of the Day 3 journey – Pune to Surat.

************************************************************************************

In spite of my previous day’s experience, I woke up later than intended and rushed off to saddle my bike at the earliest. However, by the time I started, the coolness of the day had worn off. A strong Sun glowed overhead; a bleak breeze blew as if in protest against the rising heat.

The previous two days’ experience had given me enough resilience to the heat and unruly traffic. And I expected the worse in both respects. I guess, expecting the worst helped me sail through without feeling much pain. I crossed the busy Lonavala and picturesque Khandala with no sweat. The old highway merged with the Expressway for a brief period, throwing me back to the old roads at Khapoli. From there, the road was narrower, but without heavy traffic.

My nightmare started with entering Panvel. City traffic emerged from all corners to engulf me, slowing me down to an annoying pace. The frequent stopping at traffic signals, lane-switching cars and zigzagging two-wheelers tested my patience thoroughly. But like all nightmares, that too ended and I was once again on open roads, Enroute to Surat via Vapi.

To wash away the weariness of the day thus far, I stopped at a wayside McDonald and had a little meal. More than food, I was grateful for the cool interiors.

After about three-quarters of an hour at the McDonald, I resumed my tiresome journey – riding past busses, cars, two-wheelers, fields and buildings and foul-smelling, smoke billowing, factories and also past several lives and their unique life stories. After a few brief stops, I found my roadside sojourn for the night. The unimpressive hotel room with a bit of stale air about it was very different from the pictures on the MMT app. But I was too tired to protest, and skipping dinner, I fell in deep sleep minutes after hitting the bed.

The next day’s journey from Surat to Udaipur was not only the longest but also most punishing. No one in the right frame of mind would think of riding 500+ km through the arid regions in the peak of summer. Yet here I was, and how I got roasted in the Indian Summer Inferno…