Day 1: 18th November, 2017 Saturday

1:30 am, Went to bed after work

4:30 am, Got up, packed my bags and got ready. Today my plan is to go to Hyderabad, as the road will be better and it will take me north.

Started at 5:30 am from home.

Road was really good. With welcoming shower in the coastal regions. Had to stop and cover the bags with covers to continue my ride. Just loved to ride in the rain. I was not prepared for wet ride, else would have already packed everything in covers like I did for the Monsoon Mumbai ride.

After riding for 630 KM, 8.5 hours, reached Hyderabad at 2:00 pm. Got a room in Malakpet, was lazy to move around. Took rest and forced myself out of the bed. In Hyderabad I have my favorite places. Took some rest, went to Birla mandhir, followed by Charminar and walked there for some time.

Then got some kababs and my favorite Shadab Biryani. I just love their biryani, I once traveled just to have this biryani and came back the same day.

Planning for the next day, I was deciding to go to Ajanta (600km from Hyderabad), finish it and go for Ellora caves which is 120km from Ajanta. To travel should take until evening, then to go around Ajanta and Ellora should take the next one whole day.

Day 2: 19th November, 2017 Sunday

After a good night sleep, I got up late. Was able to start from Hyderabad only by 6:30 am. From Hyderabad to Nizamabad, the road was really good. After that for about 300km, the stretch was one of the worst in this whole trip, which took a heavy toll on my back. Had to take frequent breaks and stretch my back. Got some good palm toddy on the way, which was really refreshing.

During this time I had also changed my destination from Ajanta to Aurangabad to make it easy between Ajanta and Ellora, and also to move north the next day.

After all this riding, reached Aurangabad at 5 pm. 560km in 10.5 hours, really bad average. First went to Bibi Ka Maqbara, which is also called the Mini Taj Mahal. I reached here with all the luggage still with me. The parking person said he will take care of the bags. Trusted him, left the bags in the bike itself and went in to check out the Mini Taj.

Then took a room in Aurangabad for two days, as it will take a full day to roam Ajanta (90 km E) and Ellora (30 km NW) caves, take rest and go to the next destination. Next was to explore the city, find some good eat outs. Was suggested some fancy restaurant by the hotel people. Had to pass after going there. Few more places after different suggestions. Finally landed in a street close to the railway station. The kind of place I would eat any day. Got some tandoori roti, gravy, kababs and went to room.

While again finalizing the plan for the next day, came to know that Ajanta is closed on Mondays. How can they even leave a holiday for these places. Grrrrr. This was better than to have Ellora closed, as I was eager to see the Kailasha temple, which is the largest monolithic (built using a single stone) structure in the world.

Had to live with it and went to bed.