One minute the path was next to the ocean, and the following up in the hills, through
small communities where markets spilt onto the road. Then along narrow farm roads
where ox carts had preference and villagers stared slack-jawed. I didn’t want it any
other way. Finally, reaching the third ferry, the road bridge seemed better than
loading the whole shebang onto the tiny boat.
The way continued past the smallest hamlets where villagers dried clothes and shrimp
upon the tarmac. My path soon reached the small settlement of Harnai, famous for its
colourful fishing harbour, and a great place to spend the night.
Harnai – Guhagar - 90 km
Due to the previous night’s tossing and turning, the time was nearly midday before
pedalling out of Harnai. My chosen route followed the coastal road via Karde. The
road, however, petered out and later disappeared altogether, forcing me to retrace my
steps. The rest of the day was a hilly ride, albeit not difficult, the sharp inclines made
it slow riding. Few things are as enjoyable as following secondary roads through tiny
settlements; on this day, they were plentiful.
These tiny roads seldom had bridges across rivers. Fortunately, this time a car ferry
carted traffic across the river—the price for me and the bike was a measly 16 rupees.
Unfortunately, the path from the jetty to the highway revealed a steep switchback,
leaving me huffing and puffing. However, the rest of the day was enjoyable cycling.