Nature's fury...Live!!

Extended weekend, the plan to go to karwar was made when everything was "normal"
A friend of mine, had travelled to that place and said the heat was unbearable. We witnessed the rains!! And its affects. What we did not know that we were in for the experience of a lifetime. This was a trip that was extremely different, the travel bug in me is taking a break for sometime.

Day 1, we start our journey from Bangalore to Karwar. The Driver was constantly talking to this passenger who was next to him, and the bus was moving slower than the man walking on the road. Many complained, only to be told that the driver knew what was best. We reached Ankola, and there the Bus broke down. We were moved into a new Bus, then we reached Karwar..almost..few kms away from it when the Bridge was overflowing and the route to Karwar was blocked.

We were stranded in that Bus for quite smtime, spoke to the Driver who by now gave up on taking a reverse and going back to a nearby city. Luckily, we found this Volvo going back, and a good samaritan who let us in. This Volvo had ppl enroute to Goa. All worried faces, starved and very restless. We joined them, got dropped at Kamat.

Kamat Hotel looked like a refugee camp, and there we met this extremely helpful person. By now, our phones were dead, zero network and all the charging points had a queue. He helped us first, by getting food ontime :)
Then, informed us about the places closeby where we could get to and also access to the nearest Bus stop. Also, knew that the trains to Goa also were cancelled because of landslides.

We got onto the main road, and got into a Bus to Hubli, then the good times were back. We reached Hubli, got into a decent lodge. Had food finally, then got back to Bangalore.Trip ended, much earlier and most important we were back home..all safe..almost. Pri has had an injury in the past during a trip, and now again. Hopefully she shud be fine..

So, we all are back to our cosy home and to speak about a bad trip but tell you what? My friend who is a localite of Karwar is still in shock. The houses in Karwar have been washed away, loss of lives. And all this, when these ppl are staying here for so many years. She says, even during rainy season it hasn't been this bad. Its the first time in 100 years!!

On the entire trip, we were really really fortunate and thankful to God.
All that relief efforts that we see on TV is nowhere close to what is required. I pray, that man who gave us water and his thatched house is still there...safe and sound.

hmmmm...