Bangalore- Delhi : Leg 2

Day 4: Karwar - Goa
Started from Karwar and drove over the beautiful Kali Bridge and entered Goa after undergoing some security checks. Filled petrol (45 a litre only !!).
Beautiful scenery all the way to Cancona, here I drove straight to Palolem Beach. Walked on the beach to a point where I had to wade through waist deep of torquoise color water to reach a point where I got an awesome view of the landscape.
Lot of foreign tourist on this beach but on the same hand not very crowded (maybe because it is a working day). Had lunch on a beachside restaurant, resting in the shade on cane chairs, staring at the sea while having an excellent meal with Feni.
Talked to a History Teacher from Kent, with my current aim to become a Social Studies teacher this turned out to be an interesting conversation
Drove down from here after lunch to Panjim and saw a beach there, had a Cafe Latte at Cafe Coffee Day at some hiked up price due to the Xmas season
Drove down to Old Goa and took a place for the night at Old Goa Residency
Read about Portugese in India from John Keay's book on Indian History
Day 5: Old Goa, Anjuna, Vagator and the Fort of Dil Chahte Hai fame
Saw the mass at Bom Jesus, went to the cathedral, churches and museum
Read about St Francis Xavier Life History
Beautiful Scenery and I trying to capture the same in words is going to be difficult
Had a meal this time with Port Wine.
Left Goa in the evening and took a place for the night in Kudal in South Maharashtra
Now it was time to read about Shivaji my role model for this leg :-)
Day 6: Kudal - Mahad
Day 7: Mahad - Pratapgarh Fort , Raigad Fort, New Mumbai

Bangalore to Delhi

Bangalore - Delhi by Car !!!
Well this was a dream to do a North South India road trip from way back in my school days. Finally taking the plan to the road feels great.
Car: Maruti Alto
Driver : Self
Accompanied by : Vijayendra Gururao in the first leg till Jog Falls
Met : Sister (Jai) and Family in Pune, Aunt (Rosy "Chechi") and Jojo (Cousin) in Mumbai, Friend (Jwalant) in Surat

Plan

The general idea is to see make this a trip with the core theme being "History" and "Geography" of India. I plan to drive around 250-300 Kms a day, take an acco by 6:00pm, do some reading and some writing every day. I intend to walk 2-3 kms every day to keep my circulations running. So the day before I cover the forts of Shivaji (in Maharashtra) I intend to read about him a day before, read about Jog Falls before I visit the same in Karnataka. Plan to visit my Sister In Pune and Aunt in Mumbai.

Plan to do the distance in 15 days
Itinerary:
Sravanabelagola: Jain Temple and Statue of Bahubali
Belur, Halebid - Stone Temples of Hoysala Empire
Jog Falls- Highest Waterfall in India
Goa- Beaches, Cliffs and Portuguese in India
Old Goa: St Francis Xavier, Mass at the church
Pratapgarh,Raigarh (Forts) : Shivaji's Rule and Strategy, Forts and Defence
Mumbai (Rosy Chechi),
Pune (Sisters Place), Sinhagad (Fort)
Karla and Bhajja Caves
Surat (Jwalant)
Jodhpur : History of Rajasthan
Udaipur
Jaipur
Delhi

24th Dec 2008
Bangalore: Last minute insurance issue delayed the start
Started our journey on the first leg along with me is Vijayendra Gururao
Sravanbelgola
Climbed the hill and saw the huge statue and the awesome countryside
210 Km: Hassan : Rest for the night
Xmas Mass in Hassan
25th Dec
Halebidu : Wonderful Stone Temple of the Hoysala Empire
Belur: Another example of fine artistry of the Hoysala Empire
Drive right along side Mulayangiri to Babudgiri, where we had trekked just a few weeks back
Chikmaglur: Xmas Lunch
Tarikere
Shimogga
460 KM Sagar:Rest for Night
26th Dec
Jog Falls : Largest Fall in India
Saund : Vijayendra Parts Ways, now I am on my own
701 Km Karwar: Rest for Night