Irrespective of the things that happen to me, I consider everything was some kind of a learning. I have been truly lucky to the gods because they didn't let me wait a moment and brought incidents for me to learn on how to overcome the challenges. For someone like me who haven't planned anything before starting is an adventure after all. I have to figure out places to stay, food & water to keep myself with energy and hydration, learn the languages of the states, and lot many things. Day 1 taught me that I can stay in temples and on Day 2 it taught me how to manage when the bicycle tire get punctured.
Day 1 - Stay at temples
Day 1 with the help of a random stranger on road, I figured out that I can stay in temples for the day and for the days to come. It isn't like you necessarily have to stay at public places while riding but when there is not hotels or rooms around then you have no choice mate. Temples helped me in lots of ways, I can stay safely as I make sure I get someone's permission, I chose temples which have got a guard to safeguard for the nights, I can use the restrooms for myself and to wash my clothes on a regular basis. The most important of all is that, I can leave the place early in the morning without laziness.
Day 2 - How I managed when the bicycle tire got puncture
It wasn't a long day for cycling but a long day for myself, since it is day 2 I got an idea how my days are going to be. Due to almost a hundred kilometer ride on day 1, I got some tired and took rest along the way during day 2. At last I reached Gudur on day 2 and around 8 PM it got dark, I was searching for a place to stay, especially temples. Typically I plan to find a place to stay before it get dark, but today the scenario was different and I will let you know later about what happened.
While getting closer to a Hanuman temple which I figured out on Google Maps, my bicycle rear wheel tire got punctured. I was like partly angry but realized that being angry will not bring the solution. I got the positive vibe and dragged the bicycle 4 KM with all the luggage weights for merely 40 minutes. Then and there stopping to take water and to check the cricket score update as it was the day of the 2018 IPL final between Hyderabad and Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
I was almost exhausted as I reached the main junction at Gudur where there were shops and few people were crossing by here and there. I moved in front of a restaurant where I saw few youngsters and decent open space was available. I knew that I cannot find a shop to fix the puncture at this time and I didn't carry a puncture kit too. I didn't let those guys anything rather just gave my smartphone and the charger to charge the device because I didn't carry any power bank and I cannot let me phone die out of power.
I can see their faces as they were watching the IPL final match on their smartphones and the comments they were giving in Telugu. They were like why the hell this batsmen not getting out. This happened when Shane Watson was blasting every ball in the 2nd innings chasing a stiff target. After talks about where I am from and why I am cycling this far, they finally gave me a thumbs up saying
CSK have won the finals and clinched the cup. I was kind of happy inside but I also felt sorry for them as their team didn't give a tough fight.
Coming to the puncture, they told I can get the tire fixed by tomorrow as the shops were couple of kilometers inside the town and at this time it is sure that it will be closed as it was also a Sunday. I patiently unloaded the stuff from the bicycle and started to have conversations with those boys about various topics, it was a memorable chat with lots of laughter. Then around 1 AM, they took me and my luggage in a bike and showed the Gudur main bus stand which was completely dark but seemed a safe place to stay. They left after few minutes then within couple of minutes later, a police officer came looking for me and asked me to come with him.
I was calm and casual but worried about leaving the bags without safety, as I went along with for few steps I saw another chief officer who is Mr. Hussain Basu (probably Gudur SI) and the boys who took me to the bus stand also were there. The officer explained that they caught the boys roaming the streets on the bike this late and they told about you, so we are here to inquire you. I gently told, fine sir and continued to explain about my solo expedition and my current situation. The officer smiled and gave me advice that I should be doing all these after getting settled in life. I nodded to him and he continued to tell that I can stay here safely for the night and get the cycle tire fixed by tomorrow morning.
I wonder whether an average tourist would have these kind of experiences on his travel? I am blessed by the incidents and the people to experience many new things in my life. Thanks to the almighty through which I learned that I can stay in bus stands also on the coming days if I had to. I doesn't matter where I was and what I am doing, all it mattered is that I should get to Delhi by any means with my bicycle.
Liked my story? Say "Hello" on Facebook.
Facebook Page - Fear The Routine
Liked my story? Say "Hello" on Facebook.
Facebook Page - Fear The Routine
Comments
Post a Comment