I rode down to Manori island this weekend. This was more of a brash decision taken because the weather was so very good. The Eicher Map indicated that I could take the Western Expressway till Malad and then take a left for Marwe. The traffic wasn't too bad except for the stretch from Malad to Marwe. But the cool breeze made the ride a pleasure.

Marwe beach was quite crowded at 2030hrs but I knew from past experience that my girl could be taken on the ferry to cross-over to Manori island. I did manage to navigate through the sand somehow. Helped myself to a hot 'bhutta' while waiting for the ferry to arrive. Negotiating the 45° ramp was the tough bit. I thought I'd manage well with the new tyre she had, and made the incorrigible blunder of trying to ascend gradually. I skidded half-way up the ramp and the engine died. It was insane. The girl was really heavy and there was no way I could have got her up the ramp and sought help from the ferry's crew. Two chaps eventually got us up. I was nicely shaken up. I knew nothing about negotiating ramps.

The ferry ride across the creek to Manori was swift. On the other side, I decided to try my hand at getting her down. I observed the others starting their bikes and so brought her to life as well. The slide down was no better. I tried using my brake to slow her down and skidded again. Again the crew helped. I smelled leaked petrol. My fingers had numbed on getting struck by metal. When I managed to put her back on stand and inspect for damage, I could feel my heart pounding more strongly than the engine. Luckily, there was only some specks of sand that needed dusting off. I was quite disappointed with my total lack of experience at handling my girl.

People on the ferry had recommended the Manori Resort for food and drinks, but I had trouble locating it and was also low on fuel. The nearest petrol station was 2kms. behind, back in Marwe, and I decided against further exploration. Dinner was Goan Chilly pork and Beer at 'Manoribel' Resort - the first well-lit banner that I sighted. It turned out to be a pretty neat place with hammocks by the beach, though the surf was barely visible in the faint moonlight.

I was wiser from experience on the return trip and paid a crew member for loading her. I watched nervously as he revved her to a high-throttle and raced up the ramp. It took nerve, and considerable skill. The descent involved very minor braking, it was more like a free fall with a good sense of balance. It would take me a while to get this right. But the overall experience had been pretty marvellous.