North to Malpe via Udupi

January 2, 2011

Sunday

It's hard to remember what day it is - the receptionist reminds me when I ask about the Internet place being open at whatever time. It's closed today.

It's 9:00 when I check out of West Coast Lodge and pedal up the main street heading north to get back on the NH 17. My goal is Malpe, about 70 km away, and there's no other option from the 17, although hopefully I can find a small beach road somewhere along the way.

I had my 350 rupees' worth out of the lodge - never moved off the bed much. The last thing I ate was on New Year's Eve and that didn't go down too well, but I don't feel like anything and get a few miles in and take it steady, looking out for a juice place.

The 17 is wide once out of the city's sprawl and is new it seems. There's even a service road for sections, which I ride on a little while, then a juice place appears at ten o'clock and I have two pineapple ones. Thirty rupees each, which is more than usual.

I feel okay considering.

Here's an Internet place opening up so I email Debbie to say I'm on the road and feeling okay, all things considered.

There's a Cafe Coffee Day and my order is a veg burger. I leave over half of it as it's too dry and the King Cappucchino doesn't taste as nice as usual.

There are no side roads off this highway a guy tells me when I stop and ask at a small turning.

I could easily take a nap.

This doesn't look like India. It's more like Spain.

A juice place appears and I have one pineapple and one grape. Great! the total is 40 rupees. That other guy!

The NH 17 doesn't have many milestones around here, but eventually I reach the turning for Udupi.

Udupi - there's a 14th century temple and I ride through the town's streets down to the place, then walk the Brodie as I want to take my time and besides this is a religious site and it'd seem rude cycling around.

It doesn't look very old. There's an elephant in an open-sided shed and there's a strong and rather unpleasant smell of his presence and maybe some others, too.

I take a photo of some wood stacked in a huge cylindrical shape that tapers at the top, resembling a minaret in a way.

There's a man who holds his hand out for money.

Malpe isn't a million miles away and that's where I head for to find the sand deserted and I spot a large ship-building yard and ride towards it and find the adjacent dock that's overflowing with fishing boats, mainly painted blue and white. There's a strong smell of fish and old nets are being repaired by the lane.

It takes me a while to get my bearings, but I make my way around the waterfront and find the other side of the quay where there are about 100 women of various ages taking turns carrying plastic trays of fish on their heads and dumping the contents onto the concrete jetty. Somebody will buy them I guess. Shrimps and some small silver fish.

The men gather around my bike and look and wonder about it, but can't speak any English.

Fishing boats sail to dock and men unload the fish and others carry trays of ice. It's a busy place and women are doing a lot of the work.

The first hotel is full, which is hard to fathom.

The female receptionist in the lodge right across the road quotes me 450,then 350 once I've agreed and this seems odd, but the lady says it's a smaller room and there's only me. I agree without viewing the room.

I take a nap and wake and find the town is busy and dark at almost seven.

There's a juice place and I order one melon and one pineapple, but still can't face eating anything. Then I have some more juice, hoping to feel better in the morning.

Today's ride: 70 km (43 miles)
Total: 2,655 km (1,649 miles)

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