Day 3
This was our last day at Puri as the next day we were scheduled to return back to Kolkata. So things to be done were a short drive to Konark and mom had to do some shopping in the evening from the famous swargadar road market. First we decided to go ahead to Konark. We had no plan to visit the sun temple as we had visited it many times before. The prime reason to visit konark was for the picturesque drive firstly through the forest then beside the sea. Its just 40kms one way drive but am sure every one will enjoy the road. By 11am we went out of the hotel took couple of pictures.
It was overcast and was raining from the last night.
I was amazed to see the different colors of the sea!
Soon after spending around an hour in the beach by 12pm we headed towards Konark. I was driving in a slow pace enjoying the drive. Just 10kms before reaching i saw few villagers were igniting fire on few rubber tyres and dry branches of tree. I went passed them and as soon as i crossed they blocked the whole road with a big branch of a tree and the burning tyres!
I stopped my car at a distance and inquired a local guy about the matter and was informed that cyclone relief has not reached them so to protest they have blocked the road. Felt bad about it but could do nothing. Went ahead till Konark. Spent an hour in the beach and decided to head back to Puri. While returning i could see no cars coming from the opposite direction. That made very clear that the road was still blocked. Reached that spot and it was so as i assumed.
Traffic jam due to road block.
I asked a local guy if there is any other alternative route to Puri. He told me a route through a place called Gop and warned me the roads were bad. Came back to Konark asked a police men about the road blockage. He called his senior officer and advised us to take the alternative route as it will take time. it was already 2pm so we had our lunch at OTDC Panthaniwas Konark. I must say the food was really tasty.
This small creature visited the roof of my car at OTDC.
After the lunch we headed towards Gop and it was raining heavily. Gop is 15 kms from Konark and Gop to Puri is another 30kms. Till Gop roads were ok. But from Gop the roads were no less than the surface of moon! It was raining and the pot holes were full of water so it was difficult to judge the depth. I was driving cautiously. After a place the road became narrow with steep slopes on both sides. It became difficult to give space to the oncoming vehicles. But i must say all the drivers were very cooperative too. This road goes through the deep rural area. I was driving through the devastated villages of Odisha. The paddy fields were submerged in water, big tree fell on the houses, the electric poles fell down with wires all over the road. The number of uprooted tree's were uncountable.
Just sharing a picture of the uprooted tree's.
It was a sad sight all over. But a thumbs up to the people of Odisha. In this disastrous condition they were help full too. When ever i asked them for a direction they gladly helped us.
Soon this road met the Puri Konark road skirting the area of the road block. By 5pm we reached back to Puri. Parked my car at Swargadwar road as mom had to do some shopping and i decided to do a bit of street photography! Sharing a couple of pics.
But as it was drizzling continuously mom had to cut short her shopping time and we returned back to our hotel by 7pm. It was raining so cant go to the beach too. So decided to drive towards Sterling resort which is on the other end of Swargadar road. This road was pitch dark at night. The road is broken and if one is not careful can get his car stuck in sand. But i was enjoying the drive in night with rain accompanying us. Stood there for few minutes by putting the lights off. It was silent all around so the sound of rain and the sea was prominent. It was like music to the ears. But considering the safety issue of standing there in pitch dark with no body around we moved on and headed back to our hotel. Had our dinner and slept off by 10pm.
Day 4
This was the last day of this trip. Woke up by 7-30 am and decided to start by 8-30am. It was raining heavily through out the night and the morning was no different. Having a cup of tea in the balcony with heavy rain and Bay of Bengal roaring in front of me will be a moment i will cherish for a long time!
But we had to head back to Kolkata so without spending much time i got ready and we started our return journey by 8-45am. Due to the incessant rain few roads in Puri were water logged. But the depth was ankle deep so wading through the water was not difficult. With the wipers on we hit the Puri- Bhubaneswar road. Road was more or less empty with sparse traffic. Just few kilometers before Bhubaneswar i saw a bypass stating Cuttack. This 11kms long bypass skirts the Bhubaneswar city and takes you directly to the Bhubaneswar- Cuttack highway (Nh5)! This was a great boon to us. This bypass atleast saved half an hour from the Bhubaneswar city traffic. While going i some how missed this bypass. The drive till Cuttack was slow due to heavy traffic on the highway. As soon as we crossed Cuttack it was all clear road ahead with rain god accompanying us. By 11-45am we reached Bhadrak and again halted at hotel Orion for lunch. In 3 hours we did Puri to Bhadrak. As soon as we resumed our journey post lunch it started raining so heavily that wiper at 3rd level was also not of much use. The visibility was really poor. Most of the car halted on the sides with there flashers on. I kept on driving with my side light and fog lamps on.
Took a picture of the rain.
There were waters on the highway too. I was fearing aquaplaning so was driving below 80km/hr. And when ever i could see water on road i was slowing down further. Like this i drove till Balasore and from there the aggressiveness of the rain came down. After Balasore i refueled my car to its brim as petrol prices in Odisha is much lesser than West Bengal! With tank full of fuel we witness a heavy traffic snarl at Jaleshwar! So had to do a bit of circus to come out of the traffic. Drove in wrong side, had to give way to the trucks by going off the road. To cross a road had to drove over a drain too! But some how managed to cross it by 20 minutes. Another person in Opel Corsa was also stuck but seeing me doing all these he too followed me and came out of the congestion.
From here there's nothing much to write about. Drove till Sher e Pujab Kolaghat. Halted there for 15 minutes and drove back to Kolkata. Reached home by 5-45pm. It was 497kms in about 9 hours.
The total odometer reading of the trip was 1273kms. Etios did a great job this time too. Got a mileage of 15+ with speeds above 100 and 50% ac. I have visited Puri many times before but this trip showed me a different Odisha. I just witnessed the sayings that humans are nothing in front of natural calamities. People are so helpless when nature decides to take a revenge.
Few tips which can help others visiting Puri.
1) If you are driving from Kolkata try to cross the Bengal- Odisha border as early as possible. By chance if there is a huge traffic jam 8kms before Jaleshwar there is a road which can take you through Jaleshwar city and reconnect again at nh60 2kms after the border check post. While coming back you can take the same.
2) Don't miss the Bhubaneswar bypass. That can save a good 30mins to 1 hour.
3) Hotel Orion at Bhadrak is a good place to have food. Though i personally didn't like there wash rooms.
4) Most of the petrol bunks at Balasore kept only diesel so for petrol one must find a better fuel station.
5) While visiting Puri Jagannath temple you can buy the prasad from the temple authority and to avoid rush buy the vip pass for 25rs each. This way you can avoid paying hefty money to the panda's.
6) Visiting satpara is worth. But don't go for any other boat ride before visiting Satpara. Locals are there to misguide you. So visit Satpara and hire a boat. Ask for the rate charts and then confirm the boat. It was 900rs for us for a full boat for 1.30 hrs. That was till the Dolphin point.
7) Hotel Shreehari offered us good rooms with nice view and god food. So this hotel is recommended.
8) Lastly be careful while driving on Odisha roads as most of the bikers are very much unruly.