Jog falls – Murudeshwar -Gokarna Trip

-with Ravi Sidula

Day 1

Ravi and myself left Bangalore city KSRTC Bus Stand at 7.30am. We chatted for some time and then went to sleep as both of us didn’t have proper sleep the previous night. Ravi couldn’t sleep for some reason, whereas, I can’t sleep as I’m into US shift. We had some short nap until the bus halted at some place for breakfast. I woke up Ravi who was in sound sleep. We had idlis and vada dipped in hot and tasty sambar. After breakfast we had hot cup of coffee. They played some Kannada movies during the rest of our journey. Finally, we reached Shimoga around 2pm in the afternoon. We got down at the KSRTC Bus stand and enquired about the bus to Jog Falls.

They informed us that there is no direct bus to Jog Falls, we would have to catch two or three buses to reach our destination. We decided to have some food, so went to a restaurant within the bus station. We ordered for Masala Dosa and Vada, had to wait for some time as most of them were having rice dishes at that time. We had crispy and tasty Masala Dosa, Vada and then hot cup of tea.

After having food, we returned to our waiting spot in the bus stand, we checked with a conductor about bus to Jog Falls. He told us that their bus which is going to Sagara would go via Jog Falls. We got into the bus which left in few minutes.

The long journey through the ghat section was mesmerising with greenery spread across on both the side of the road. Two hearts were happy to see so much greenery after a long time. The eyes that were bored watching the concrete jungles in the city was pleased to see so much greenery too.  The journey seemed like never ending bus ride in greenery…

We reached Jog Falls around 5pm. The bus conductor warned us that the last bus to Honavar leaves by 6pm and not to miss it. We got the entrance ticket of Rs.5/- each. The view of the Jog falls was breath takingly beautiful. The only thing was the water was less at the falls, but the nature view was awesome.

It reminded me ‘Up’ animated Hollywood movie. We started clicking some snaps at the Jog falls. Ravi made a video call, spoke to his wife who was at Hyderabad at that time. He started showing her video of the Jog falls. Technology is good as it brings people at far together for that moment.

Soon, it started getting dark, we remembered the good conductor’s warning just in time and started walking out of the Jog Falls towards the bus stand.

We asked a fruit seller about the Honavar bus. He scared us saying that the last bus to Honavar should have left. Ravi asked him is there any way to go to Honavar? He replied no and that we may to spend our night at Jog Falls itself. Sagara bus was about to leave…but there was no point in going to Sagara now. Fortunately, the last bus to Honavar came just then. We both got into it thanking our good luck. It got dark after the sun set. We both took some short naps as the bus went through the ghat section once again to reach Honavar.

We got down at Honavar and asked directions for Batkal Bus. We waited for the Batkal bus at the bus stop point. On private vehicle came to a halt at the stop and it was going to Batkal, but we didn’t like to take risk. Finally, Batkal bus came, we got into it and took tickets. We had booked the room through makemytrip.com while traveling in the bus to Jog Falls. The bus passed by Murudeshwar. Murudeshwar was 16kms away from Batkal and we got hotel room reservation in Batkal.

We reached Batkal and got down in the KSRTC Bus stand. Luckily for us the Royal Oak Hotel was very near to the KSRTC bus stand, walkable distance from there. We checked in to room no.303, refreshed and went to have dinner at first floor which served non veg meals till mid night.  The hotel offered privacy to its customers with curtain partition for each table. We ordered our dinner and took some snaps as we waited for our food to arrive. After few minutes the waited came and served us hot and sour chicken soup which was hot, spicy and tasty. Then we ate tasty food. We returned to our comfy and cosy room to take rest for the night. Soon, we both drifted into sound sleep as we both were tired from long bus journey, with dreams and excitement waiting for the next day….

Day 2 …coming next..