Day 1 -- We endured

We didn't get off to a great start. We'd been working (not on this but rather our business) right up until 2:AM the day of the ride. With about 2 1/2 hours of sleep Nihanth and I got up, got ready, took too long to load our gear, and then ...

So we got a late start, wrestled with Bangalore traffic until we cleared Airport road and could open the throttles (... Kiran, we never took your bike over 80!). We did pass this statue/ monument that we assume was Visnu or Shiva related, but didn't have time to stop.

 We took an early detour to a small village called Lepakshi -- famous for the Nandi (bull) statue (mount of Shiva) which is considered one of the largest statues cut from a single block of stone.  Down the road a few hundred meters was the Veerabhadra Temple.  Built in the 16th century. it is a sacred and protected site.  There are fresco paintings of Rama, Krishna, and many of the epic stories from the Mahabharata, Ramayana, and Puranas.    

  

We geared up extensively before we left, and I thought maybe too much. However about 150 kilometers before Hyderabad rain crossed our path and land we endured driving in it about 20 minutes. In my 20s back in the states I wouldn't take my bike out of the garage if it was drizzling, let alone a full rain. But after  five years in India and getting caught driving in Monsoon downpours, I'm rather unaffected there days. 

Luckily we felt drops and pulled off, covering our bags and trying out our rain gear.  The pants were great and kept an otherwise sure to be soaked jeans dry.  

We arrived in Hyderabad around 7PM, partially wet, and sought out Deccan Nawabs, a motorcycle shop so we could buy high waterproof boot for when we hit the Himalayas and have to deal with the water hazards we fully expect to be met with. 

The owner couldn't have been more accommodating. We had called from Bangalore to tell them we'd be coming. 

We geared up with high top boots, winter gloves -- and Nihanth picked up a riding jacket; it matched his helmet so how could we not get it. Now with his black, white and orange helmet, gloves and jacket, people will see only a blur of pumpkin in motion as we thunder by.  

We hung out at Deccan Nawabs longer than we should have, and by the time we checked into the hotel it was 10:30. The one restaurant Nihanth wanted to eat at happened to be next door -- and connected to -- the hotel. Just a coincidence that he booked our room at the Royal Residency?? I think not. None the less, the food was really good; especially the Pachi Mirchi Kodi Kebab Pulav the place is known for (made of basmati rice, green chili paste, and chicken cubes).

30 minutes later after a hot shower I was done, and conked out for the night.