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 18th March 2025

On the road home.

40 kilometers out of Ongole, and all the way to Nellore, there was fog. Driving wasn't difficult, but needed more focus. 

Post Nellore, traffic was bad. Worst were the bikes in the middle of the road. And, the autos.

Got home for lunch. Daughter ( on a break from Chennai ) had made sure her cook was ready and waiting.

Started 11th February. Home 18th March. Covered 8000 odd kilometers.

Drove thru Telengana, Andhra, Odisha, UP, Bihar, maybe Chattisgarh and Jharkhand, Uttarkhand, Rajasthan, MP, Maharastra. Interiors of many of them, as my route was not always the optimal straight line. Like when I did Pacherla, which is interior Andhra, then Godavari/Gopalpur on the coast, and then Simplipal interior Odisha. Again, when I did Varanasi, then drove west to Prayagraj, and then east and north to Ayodhya. 

It is so so green. Majority of the roads are thru farms land. Be it paddy, wheat, sugarcane, corn, mustard, or vegetables. Makes one feel comfortable.

Greeted Surya deva every morning. Will hopefully continue to do so.

Very satisfied with all sides of the journey.

The drive was wonderful. The vehicle behaved perfectly. There were some bad roads, but, in all the quality was good. There was no seriously bad road. The worst was the dry river bed in the Rajaji area. The excitement  getting lost in the pitch dark on that road was part of the fun.

The peace I find while driving, just me and the slokams, or, carnatic music playing, is difficult to explain.

The religious part was very satisfying. Never one to want to go to temples, at least in the last few years. It was as though the timing for this drive had been set elsewhere. The trip for September last year being cancelled. Being revived, and then getting preponed for the said dates. Even better, each location date was set such that we were just before a major crowd. Varanasi, Prayagraj, Ayodhya. Even Vrindavan, where the serious Holi crowd started the day after I was there. I enjoyed each location - could feel the devotion of the people.Even in the press of the crowd.  Could enjoy the few moments with the self. I learnt more about myself, my history. Loved it.

The Reserve forests on the whole were a great ecosystem. If you look at the geography closely, you will see that the forests are contiguous. Except for small spaces created by highways or cleared by industry. Even as you head south from Umred, the number of forests that are marked on the highways with signs of wildlife crossing are amazing. 

Some of the reserve forest safari operations are in their nascent stage. Guides and drivers are not very knowledgeable, the route is not sighting friendly. That will change with time, I am sure. 

The Terai was lovely. The entire stretch from Valmiki to Rajaji. The let downs were Corbett and Umred. Not for the quality of the forest terrain, or the lack of the sightings, but for the overcrowding, use of mobile phones, and, the attitude of the driver/guide. The smaller less tourist places had guides doing their best to try and show something.

People were, as usual wonderful, all over. Be respectful, you get it right back. And, they have no problem with a show of some temper if it is deserved. They respond well. You meet so many different types of them, in the drivers, cooks, hotel staff. In the entire run, had just one interaction with a fellow traveler, who was also alone. His wife is a birder. He had taken off, with permission, for some mammal sighting.

Food was as it always is for me. Too spicy. Stayed with vegetarian. Found that the daal was messing my system badly. Took it off my list. In the north, take daal out, the guys are lost. Not one place I stayed was reluctant to cook separately for me. They were just worried that I was eating too little with my three chapattis and mixed salted vegetable.

So, where next is the question.