January 12, 2024
Ganpatipule to Purnagad
Along the coast and through the middle of Ratnigari which was busy and dusty even at 9am. Stopped for breakfast. Little English spoken and along with fewer roadsigns in English it does feel like the modern Hindu state is working hard to make Hindi the common language. (previously because of colonial history and because there was such a range of different local languages, English was the common language).
I reached Purnagad by mid day and found a room above the local bank, Rs800, which gave me a chance to mend a slow leak.
I wanted to see if I could find the two ex-lifeboats that my father had helped build. I know they had been around the area of the road bridge 28 years ago but a new breakwater has been built along the shore so there is now no beach to run boats onto. I hunted around on the bike and went a mile or so in each direction but could only see high bowed fishing boats. Lifeboats are wider and sit quite low in the water.
I climbed up to Purnagad fort which is another very solid ‘sandcastle’ type fort. It is only accessible along footpaths and up steps through old jungle which probably explains why no one elsd was there. Luckily the bike was unloaded!
Today's ride: 38 miles (61 km)
Total: 306 miles (492 km)
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