This trip I wanted to explore Bundelkhand, a region in central India that I had traveled through years ago in a car and I had loved the rural atmosphere with hilly forested countryside, ancient temples and impressive forts.
From the Sunauli border between Nepal and Uttar Pradesh I headed in a southwesterly direction toward Ayodhya, avoiding the big cities of Lucknow, Prayagraj, and Gorakhpur. The smaller roads I took were very pleasant. There was a heavy rainstorm on the second day in Uttar Pradesh and the temperature was for at least that day was very nice.
The next couple of days was through the Gangetic plain, very flat, Faizabad, Rae Barelly, crossing the Ganga and the Jamuna near Fatehpur. and to Baberu which is in a district in Uttar Pradesh that is a part of Bundelkhand.
There seemed to be only one hotel here and it seemed to be getting very little custom. Unfortunately there was a big storm at about 11 p.m. and the electricity was out for the rest of the night. Thus no sleep for me.
A result of the storm was fresh morning air as I headed in a westerly direction to Khajuraho. The route passed through much dry jungle on the fringes of the vast Panna National Park.
I arrived with enough time to visit the magnificent temple complex.
From Khajuraho I continued southwesterly to Bada Malhera and enjoyed the roads and rural Bundelkhand for a few more days.
Eventually on April19 I crossed from Madhya Pradesh into Maharashtra near Chhapra.
And all roads lead to Nagpur……the beginning of the 4 lane national highway. It seemed unrealistic to look for smaller alternative routes especially considering the 42 degree heat. The 4 lane highways are also perfectly paved and very safe for cyclists.
Nagpur, Wardha, Ahmedpur, Latur, Solapur, then into Karnataka and Bijapur Belgavi, then into Goa and home.
- I was on the road 22 days and covered 2357 kms.
