2025 - India, Mumbai to Goa: Day 8: Wed 12 Nov

Fine & sunny 22 to 30deg C
Ride: 80km; total: 236km

Taloshi to Hariharieshwar. Another stunning day in the saddle as we head towards the coast, following the beautiful Savitri River. We'll reach our luxury beachside resort near the charming temple town of Hariharieshwar. Time to break out the swimwear for a first dip in the Arabian Sea. Distance: 85km | Ride Time: 6 hours | Overnight: Hariharieshwar

Awoke feeling much better than I did yesterday. It’s hard to work out if it was the food, the heat, the hills or just me pushing myself beyond my limits. I have got to realise that I don’t have to be the first person up the mountain; with my heart it’s ok if I’m the last, and it doesn’t matter if I am riding an e-bike or not.

Another stunning, but very hilly, day in the saddle. One of the riders, big Simon, took ill early in the day and had to be driven forward to the hotel. A fairly disadvantaged region by the look of it, with very little industry or employment opportunities. The roads went from super smooth to very rough and there was one section up a very long mountain that had been ripped up to build a new road. Onwards and upwards as we wind our way to our luxury beach side resort near the temple town of Hariharieshwar. The tour guide reckons that it’s time to get out the swimwear for our first dip in the Arabian Sea. I don’t think so, because as we rode along the foreshore there were mountains of rubbish, mainly plastic, heaped up for kms! The mangroves also had streamers of plastic hanging from them everywhere. So, unless you wish to catch some dreadful disease best to avoid the Arabian Sea.

About 1km from the resort, we stopped for a late lunch. It was traditional Indian, and someone had spilt the chilli bowl into it! As I write this many hours later it is still stirring up my stomach. Needless to say, I didn’t have to worry about dinner.

I don’t know what is so complicated, we have 11 people on this tour, six of them elected to share a room with a mate, five want a room of their own. That’s three twin rooms and five single rooms. But when we arrive at every hotel there is a huge discussion and pandemonium about who is going in what room. We just sit back and watch it unfold around us and eventually we get our rooms. I ended up in the Presidential Suite which wasn’t that flash. I sweated all night because the aircon was set too high and couldn’t be adjusted. I did manage to sleep ok despite that and the fact that the pillows were stuffed with old rags. If everything was like home, it would not be the adventure that it is.