Freedom ride to Aurangabad
by Pinak Soni
Start of the ride:
It had been few months since I didn’t had the feeling of freedom, sound of engine and wrong turns of google mata making me feel alive. So as soon as the monsoons got a little mellow down, it was time for a long ride exploring another city and local culture. Also being August month, got lucky with public holidays to make a long trip on the untrusting Royal Enfield. Why untrusting well long story short, my 650 won’t go beyond 40kmph thanks to the faulty fuel filter and none of the ASC were able to diagnose the root cause of it but didn’t shy from making tall claims that my Fuel pump, Throttle body, Fuel jet, sensors and what else has gone kaput and it will cost me only 30k to fix it, which I fix it by spending just 300 rupees. Go figure.
The journey and the stay :
Anyhow, the word spread out that I am looking for a long ride to explore hidden treasures and 2 brave souls (Shane & Chanchal) came forward to dare to ride with and started my prep for a good quality hotel as I needed freedom from them to feel freedom. I narrowed down on a hotel called Hotel The Orange. If you are ever on outskirts of Aurangabad, it’s a very good stay with awesome food and offers excellent safety as long as there is no political turmoil. Ask why, turns out that the hotel belongs to a local politician.
Funnily, we started our freedom ride on 15th August taking the Mumbai – Igatpuri – Goti – Lasur to reach Aurangabad. A ride that was nothing but full of events. To begin with, we avoid the other route suggest by google mata due to very efficient govt in maintaining highways and we were so right. Even the Goti road was filled with potholes and patch work that made me think twice to just make a U turn and head back home. Somehow after one crater another reached the hotel and to our surprise the hotel was extremely well maintained, clean, helpful staff and did I mention awesome food. The Thali was so good that we were literally eating it for lunch and dinner during our stay. We were also blessed with the local politician cum hotel owner coming to hotel to celebrate his birthday.
There were 2 large size fire brigade, 2 Ambulances, 4 Scorpios marked as Mafia car and around 7 Patrol Boleros guarding him to which Shane was victim to. The poor fellow was not allowed in the hotel by the police just because the politician’s car was parked in lobby.
But it all ended well and we had a very peaceful stay at the hotel.
City:
During our ride we ensured that it wasn’t just another ride where we just go reach a destination and drink and don’t explore the place. During our trip we explored the fabulous Ajanta, Daulatabad, Ellora caves. While touring around the Ellora caves, I noticed that that Shane & Chanchal-Gareebmanus were struggling to understand the writing on the caves so I took up the task to speak in my home land tongue i.e. British English with a tint of British Accent so that the two peasants feel entertained while gaining knowledge about their own culture and history.
The climb:
Post all the knowledge seeking expedition we advanced to an adventure seeking Daulatabad fort for a full body work out by climbing 20000 steps (only Shane made it to the top). Rest of us, found gratification in 2nd most top floor of the fort. I must admit the view was spectacular. It was as if I was transported into Tom Raider game or Amazon jungle with wild monkeys all around us. And yes, as always there was a local idiot uncle who was trying to mock one of the Kingpin of monkeys with empty water bottle and about to get his balls kicked. Unfortunately, we weren’t around to see if he lived or not.
Day 2:
After a mental and physical workout o day 1, Chanchal & I left to explore Ajanta caves. Again eventful day. In these caves our newbie found his soul mate, but the rush at Ajanta was worse than Kumbh ka mela and we lost her. We looked for her in every cave but couldn’t find her. We even asked Lord Buddha for help but lady luck was not on our side. Slowly it started to get dark and we came back empty handed back to the hotel. Oh and ya, Shane and his better half decided to do their own sightseeing and squeezed in Bibi ka Maqbara & Aurangabad caves for himself and left a private note for Aurangzeb. I don’t know the message but it was in local news later that Auranzeb’s tomb had to be closed due to a nerve gas attack.
But as usual in thumper style it all ended well and we returned safely and lived happily ever after till next ride.
