Colombo feb 2015 missed beast

As all my travels are related with beast  but this was my first international exp

My first international assignment as a Chair Umpire thanks to the TOI and SLTA for giving me this opportunity.

 

My immigration took more than one hour as there were many flights landed at the same time, Dharawka and his team were waiting for me at the airport, thank you guys for the pickup nothing much difference as compared to India in weather wise, traffic is the same as here but with discipline. My accommodation was in National official house.  Big independent house I had a separate room to stay in Ground floor Thanks to Anjana for the accommodation it was like home with home food for breakfast and at times dinner if we didn't go out. The food was great at  his place and the places we had been to eat.

First Week ( Queens club)

I got in an trisho (auto rickshaw) to reach the venue, the trisho missed the route and was sightseeing for me in Embassy and defense area,  Jemin You the Supervisor  for the tournament.  Venue is quiet far from the place I stayed, it was like an hour's travel one way to reach the venue. Since the courts were slow had almost Three setters everyday and we used to be free by 3pm with not much trouble from players. We had been to Mount Lavina beach and Galle face in evening for walk during. First week just flew off.

The four legged spectator on bottom right corner

Second & Third Week (SLTA)

It was our Supervisor who was happy that he did a tournament without rain, but his words were short lived, it was almost wash out for next three days due to heavy rain, somehow finished the matches by Sunday, we had to use hard courts for one day to cover up the matches, second week used to be long but it was quick, There was one special spectator who used to come to see the matches everyday only the matches happening  in court 4.we could make time to go to Galle it's a hour's drive from Colombo. Most of my return travel from venue to house was accompanied by Prasad J in Bus, Thanks to you buddy for dropping me every day. without you it would have been tough for me to get down even though there was a big statue which almost resembled Like Muffi ( just kidding buddy).

Conclusion

Jemin You, it was nice working  with you  learnt many things from these three weeks, the coolest ref, had a great time with you on court and off court.

Anjana, thanks once again for the accommodation and special thanks to maid who used to cook veg food specially for me,  it was like home for me, but I don't know where eva I go am related to an Criminal Lawyer .

Prasad J, thanks buddy for travelling with me most of the time during return to home.

Dhwaraka E, Dinusha W and Muffi, had great company with you guys. It was an memorable great three weeks

I would like to thank again TOI and SLTA for giving me this Opportunity, without your support I wouldn't have experienced all these.

Regards,

Santhosh V

Trip 11 Go green 1736km Bhimavaram

It was an late start for the year on the beast due to work travel.  Bhimavaram 1736km march 2015

Bike

First of all I would personally thank the Enfield service center in BTM layout Bangalore for not solving the battery issue under warranty  and giving false promise to customer, cos they themselves didn't know what the problem was,( I am not being sarcastic here) its the fact that I can enter into limca book of records for the number times my bike has visited the service center in one year,  for the same battery issue. I was even promised that the issue would be solved and i would have peaceful ride during the trip, but they never even bothered about taking this one seriously.

The Ride

On Friday morning by 6am my ride commenced pleasant weather as usual in morning, roads were amazing, little further surprised to see single lane road till Naidupet which slowed my speed took my first break in Sri Khalahasthi around 11am had breakfast and continued after crossing Naidupet little further stopped for fueling bike did another full tank, it was time calculate the mileage as this was my first solo 800+km one way ride, was surprised to know that bike gave me 35kmpl had never got this mileage before in my rides, so happy to know about the mileage, it came to an end soon as the bike started to give trouble it used to go off when it was slowed down during speed breakers and an long time to start it, for my bad wasn't carrying any spares which I regularly used to, somehow managed till Adaanki 30km from Ongole in my grandma place.

Village Jatere (Ongole district)

As it was Holi the next day the district hosts an village festival once in every year 10 nearby villages come together to celebrate it  I was lucky to witness it, the crowd and the lighting was amazing the picture tells all, the horn speakers are   most of the houses didn't even have main doors, they were telling me there are no thefts here it's just us we stay no outsiders come here, as it was night couldn't take much pictures as my phone camera in night is bad.

still in use with no noise cancellations system there were 11 stages in one open ground playing different music, it's an night long festival starts at 7pm and ends at 5am next day. I could just spend half n hour there as I need to get some sleep for my ride tomorrow. Staying in rural side was different experience for me the people were so soft and nice, I stayed in a village of just 16 house, along with cattle's

Adaanki till Bhimavaram.

had to give around 15kicks to start the engine, ride started at 7am in morning the birds chirping it was an very long time since I saw sparrows, thick mist in morning made the ride a pleasant start with the same issue with bike, nearing Guntur the views of small hills with fog half covering them was an nice view, saw two dead monkeys on road due to hit and run, nearing Vijayawada around 11am the traffic was heavy and all the speed was reduced and kept the throttle high then letting the engine go off,  turned on the gps near benz circle the narrow rural roads surrounded by sea of greenery on either side was just amazing. As was entering Bhimavaram Spotted an Enfield service center stopped the bike took drop from the mechanic and left the bike for servicing ( 5days in service center), they actually did fix my battery issue and later informed that accelerator cable was gone and replaced.

The return

Started by 2.45am took Tadepallegudem route, actually there was no road for first 20km till Pipera, it took one hour for me to reach Tadepallegudem from there the NH 5 was superb till Naidupet, wonder how drivers are blind saw another hit and run this time it was buffalo and calf, calf was smashed on the spot and buffalo dragged for 50mts both on the spot death. so sorry for those poor creatures for no mistake of theirs they ended paying up their lives for hit and run. Met a group of bikers from Nellore district they were having their weekend coffee ride, just took three stops one for fueling and other two for photos and did 868km in one stretch, from KR Puram the traffic got heavy,  was home at 4pm, second time the beast doing 850+ in single day.

Bike

Thunderbird 500

Rider

Santhosh Venkataram