Some of NH17 north to Ponnani

December 26, 2010

a 90km day

Sleep was bad due to my sniffing and coughing and that strong beer has given me a thick head. I'll have an easy day.

It's a hot one today - probably around 30 degrees - and the sun cream gets sprayed on my forearms and face before I pedal off after using the nearby internet place for 90 minutes. It's about noon already.

It takes me all of five minutes before I make a left off the main road as a lane leads to the houses that dot the area near the shore and it's devoid of vehicles. The quietness is amazing... Sunday, I know, but it'll be like this seven days a week.

Initially it's rough, but before long the surface becomes paved and the route winds left and right. I just follow my compass and ride north-ish.

After just 20-odd minutes there's a beach resort and boats are lining the sand's top edge and there are a couple of nice-looking places to stay, but it's obviously too early in the day to call it quits. Anyway, their rates will likely be quite high.

I keep going and going and my energy level is low and my speed likewise. That's okay as there's no rush.

Palms separate me from the shore and there are homes all the way, some simple, others quite grandiose. I stop at one village store where a customer - perhaps a grandfather - has a little girl whose eyes are painted with liner. In the West it would seem slightly bizarre, but here she just looks uber-cute and I take her photo.

The only other vehicles for a couple of hours are motorcycles and those three-wheeled taxis. Then I end up on the main road. NH17 - it's actually not bad as there's a shoulder and little traffic to worry about.

I wonder about historic Cranganore, but see a sign that says I've already passed it -missed it by long way by riding the tranquil back lanes. It's about 40 km back and that's some, even by my slap-happy navigational standards.

I keep to the main road and cross a wide area of water and look at my map and it seems the next possibility of a bed will be in Ponnani, which is 30 more kilometres.

My energy has gone and I stop when I see a roadside vendor offering freshly squeezed sugarcane juice and end up having three glasses -it tastes that good.

The kilometers slowly get eaten up and before getting to the junction denoting Ponnani, I have to ride through a melee of people waiting to enter a fun-fare where a Ferris wheel sticks up on the near horizon.

The intersection itself is also a busy place, one where no one speaks English, but I do spot a lodge. No luck. It's either full or they don't accept foreigners as I simply get shooed away. It looks a flop house anyway. Crap.

I keep riding after having a cold Sprite but was ready to stop riding a while ago.

The town of Ponnani itself is another 10 minutes' ride and it's nice to find its main road is lined with what appears to be colonial-era buildings consisting of two-floor warehouses and shops. It's just a shame the sun has almost gone as I'd like to take some photos. My guess is it was a small version of Cochin a century ago.

Then I see a sign for 'tourist home'. This first-floor place isn't going to be anything fancy, but I need a bed and the rate is 300 rupees, which is okay and the room seems kind of clean, so it doesn't take long for me to get my panniers and bike up the stairs.

Maybe I can take some photos of the old buildings in the morning.

It's only 7:30 PM, but sleep is desperately needed and I get into bed and struggle with mosquitoes for a while until tiredness wins.

As expected, I wake very early - barely one. What to do?

After a while I get up and kill about a dozen mosquitoes and once back in bed they continue their attacks and I eventually dig out my tent and erect it on the mattress and manage to fall asleep.

Today's ride: 90 km (56 miles)
Total: 2,383 km (1,480 miles)

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