Imagine that you wake up one fine day and leave behind the cityscape for a weeklong trip without any prior bookings, that too all alone on a bicycle. Does that seem challenging? Well, 37-year old Paritosh Dagli from Mumbai took it as an adventure. He started off from Mumbai on his bicycle on December 26, 2020, and reached Goa on December 31, travelling around 560 kilometres. Thanks to his unrestrained energy, he even enjoyed the New Year’s Eve party in Goa. During his journey, he rode for 12 hours each day, from 6 AM to 6 PM. After that, he would put up at any suitable accommodation he would find on the way. Paritosh had chosen the coastal route to Goa, the road lesser taken. Also, here are the 10 best spots you’ll find on a road trip from Mumbai to Goa.
We spoke to Mansi, Paritosh’s wife, who told us about his journey and the hurdles he had to overcome. Mansi said, “The terrain wasn’t a smooth one. At some places, the road was going uphill, at other places, it was going downhill. Also, the route was very isolated. Some parts were so isolated that there weren’t any tea stall or even water. One day he had even run out of water. He had to cycle a few more kilometres in order to get water.”
He Used To Travel For 12 Hours A Day…
She continued, “Every day he used to put up at a local homestay. He would reach a particular place and ask the people if there was any place available for staying and would arrange something there and then. At the places he stayed, he used to wash his clothes. At some places, there was no availability of hot water. Also, at certain places, he had to wait to get a room. There were instances like ‘ room won’t be available today, it will be available tomorrow’. But the toughest part of the journey was the scorching heat. He would travel 12 hours a day, from 6 AM to 6 PM and after that, it used to be too dark. He had also taken four ferries in the middle.” Paritosh had stayed in 5 places, Diveagar, Harnai, Jaigad, Jaitapur and Parule, before finally reaching Goa on the 6th day.
Paritosh was carrying a small bag of 7 kgs which contained enough of food, including energy-giving snacks like kishmish, kaju and other dry fruits. He carried three pairs of shorts and t-shirts and used to wash them at the homestays. He was also carrying masks and sanitizers for safety. As Mansi said, Paritosh had interacted with a very few people on his trip, but the locals in the interiors of Maharashtra and Goa were very helpful, and he had felt very safe with them around. Very few people visit those parts between Mumbai and Goa. Finding Paritosh a solo traveller, they had greeted him with heartwarming gestures. Mansi said,” Upon reaching Goa, his palm wasn’t swollen luckily and his legs weren’t hurting. But he was very delighted as he had that feeling of accomplishment.”
Also Read: Mumbai To Goa Road Trip: Here’s Where To Eat, Stay & Relax On The Way
Paritosh hadn’t planned anything in advance. Instead, we went with the flow of the trip. And both he and his wife, Mansi considered it to be a smart move. After all, it gave him a road trip experience and a memory to be cherished for a lifetime.
Meanwhile, here’s everything about Kamiya Jani’s road trip from Mumbai to Goa:
