"Chandramouli probably couldn't believe what she was witnessing: ancient temples, beautiful landscapes, the countryside...her wildest dreams come to fruition. It was probably the trip of her lifetime; all with the love of her life, Gowtham. Looks like the dog days are over for her."
'Wait, what? Chandramouli is a dog?"
"Yes."
"Whoa, dude!"
This is just a snippet from a conversation had with a friend over how probably the best travel partner might just be our pets, because at least they won't ruin all travel plans by cancelling last minute. And who would know this better than Gowtham Kumar, the visionary who rode through Hampi-Hassan-Mysore. On a bike. With his dear pet dog, Chandramouli. All hail.
Gowtham is our not-so-regular, bitten by the travel bug, bike-tripping dude who didn't want the travelling to take a back seat when he adopted a stray pup, Chandramouli. Solution? Chandramouli took the back seat, on his bike. And thus began their travel adventures together.
"I had a dog pen attached to my bike, gave it a few rounds of testing, and it worked like a charm. There was no stopping us since," a very excited Gowtham told Swirlster.
"Chandramouli loves bike rides. I ensure her comfort by putting a cushion inside the crate. I don't over speed. And as long as the wind keeps hitting her face, she is happy. Besides, I have made doggles to protect her eyes. I give frequent breaks and take her out for short walks too."
When asked if he faced any trouble with entries to the heritage sites, hotels, and temples, Gowtham says he finds it bizarre that some temples allow cows inside their sanctums but not dogs. Either way, at temples which have now become ruins and heritage sites, there are no clear rules over allowing entry to a dog.
"It all depends on the security guard on duty there and your convincing ability. For instance, I assured the guard at Vijaya Vittala Temple that I will clean up if Chandramouli dirties the place and they agreed."
And then the guy has some words of wisdom from his sojourns, which he set down in a now-viral Facebook post:
11 things learnt during my Hampi-Hassan-Mysore trip with my dog
1. Bike Wash just before a trip is bad for disc brakes. In such cases, wash disc rotors with coca cola for it to work well.
2. Bike with dog behind gets more attention than Lamborghini.
3. Roadside vendors love dogs irrespective of the breed. They usually share their stories with dogs even without you asking.
4. Travel experience is better if you interact with locals and other travelers wherever you go. If you have a dog with you, you don't have to put effort to talk to others. Others will come and talk to you.
5. All the highway dhabas where usually truck drivers eat are pet-friendly.
6. Making your dog wear doggles while travelling is a good idea.
7. Most foreign tourists don't mind dogs around in a hotel. In fact, many of them love their presence.
8. Fellow bikers respect you more. At least 3 of them waved and showed thumbs up.
9. Going to a place of historical/ religious importance with your dog with no specific plan is a phenomenally stupid idea.
10. At heritage sites, requesting the security to take your dog along works if you assure no nonsense.
11. You need not take selfies all the time. Request others to click your picture. They will be more than happy to do it. It may even lead to an interesting conversation.
Points noted.
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