Invisible Cities

A peculiar restlessness hovers around us on Thursday evenings.

It’s mid-week, we are staring at a screen, and somewhere between a Slack notification and a cold cup of chai, one of us will say it… “Should we just go somewhere this weekend?”

And then the chaos begins. The one that involves tabs upon tabs of travel blogs, a shared notes app titled “options” that ends up with seventeen bullet points, and Ayush (the husband) checking tyre pressure while I’m still debating whether we want hills or a beach.

Over time, though, we have gotten better at this. So I would generously like to break it down, in case someone like us finds this. 

So, here’s what our planning actually looks like now.

#1 Planning for the Destination

Since we’re based out of Bangalore, most of our trips begin with a simple question:

What kind of escape do we want right now?

Sometimes we want slow coastal roads and cafés. Sometimes it’s misty hill roads and tea estates. And sometimes we just want a quiet place with fewer people and more trees.

So instead of starting with a destination, we start with a mood:

• Cultural towns
• Beach-side stays
• Hill retreats
• Forest escapes

That’s exactly how our first ride to Ooty happened. 

We weren’t specifically looking for Ooty. We just wanted cooler weather, winding roads, and a slower weekend outside the city. That eventually became our first-ever bike trip, which we even wrote about in our blog,

Once we shortlist places, practicality kicks in:

• How long will the ride take?
• Will the roads be tiring?
• Is it worth spending half the trip just traveling?

We also spend a lot of time looking for alternatives. 

Popular destinations are great, but they’re often crowded, expensive, or exhausting on weekends. Sometimes a smaller nearby town gives the exact same feeling with far less effort.

And honestly, those alternate discoveries often become the best part of the trip.

#2 Planning the Route

If choosing the destination sets the tone, route planning defines the trip.

For us, the route is never just about reaching the place. It’s about how the journey feels while getting there.

We usually compare multiple route options:

• Which roads are smoother?
• Which routes are scenic?
• Which stretches are safer?
• Where can we stop and reset?

We rarely ride continuously for very long. Instead, we intentionally break the ride into smaller sections with stops every 1–2 hours.

Some stops are practical:

• Fuel
• Breakfast
• Tea

Others are just there because they make the ride better.

On the way to Ooty, we randomly stopped near sunflower fields just to walk around for ten minutes. On our ride to Chennai via Pondicherry, we paused near Odiyur Lake for coconut water because the weather suddenly felt too good to ignore.

Those pauses matter. They keep the ride from becoming mechanical.

#3 Planning Routes Within the Destination

Once we reach a place, we don’t like wandering aimlessly. But we also don’t enjoy hyper-structured itineraries.

So we do something in between.

Before the trip, we collect multiple itineraries from blogs, videos, maps, and forums. Then we combine and edit them heavily based on what we actually enjoy.

Most tourist itineraries focus on “covering” places.

We prefer experiencing them.

That’s why we usually prioritize:

• Heritage streets
• Local markets
• Lesser-known cafés
• Libraries
• Art spaces
• Cultural spots

When we visited Pondicherry, we skipped rushing between tourist checkpoints and instead spent time at places like the French Institute, the Romain Rolland Library, and the Art & Craft Village.

That slower approach shaped our entire trip story:
Our Travel Story: Pondicherry 2-day itinerary with a Chennai detour

And honestly, those quieter places stayed with us much longer than the “must-visit” spots.

#4 Getting the Bike Ready

Nothing ruins a bike trip faster than unattended on-road problems. So getting the bike ready is non-negotiable for us.

A day or two before the trip, we do all the basic checks:

• Tyres
• Brakes
• Lights
• Engine oil
• Battery

Then come the smaller rituals:

• Washing the bike
• Refuelling fully
• Keeping documents ready

Doing everything the previous day changes the energy of the trip morning completely.

Then all you need is coffee, helmets, ignition, and the excitement of finally starting.

#5 Packing Smart (Essentials Only)

Packing is something we are still learning.

Our first trip to Ooty taught us what underpacking feels like. We underestimated the cold and spent most of the trip layering whatever we had.

Then came Pondicherry, where we packed far too much and carried unused clothes across three cities for no reason.

Now we keep things simple.

On bike trips, your riding gear is what people mostly see anyway. So clothes mainly function as comfortable base layers underneath.

We focus on:

• Comfortable inner layers
• Weather-appropriate essentials
• Minimal footwear
• Basic medicines and first aid

And toiletries always go into tiny travel containers because every inch of luggage space matters more than you think.

#6 Planning the Stays

One thing we almost always do: pre-book our stays.

After a long ride, nothing feels better than directly checking in, showering, and doing absolutely nothing for a while.

Our priorities are usually:

• Budget
• Location
• Parking
• View and vibe

We prefer staying close to the main area, but not inside the busiest part of town. That balance helps us relax while still staying connected.

Especially during bike trips, where half your energy is already spent on the road, a peaceful stay changes everything.

#7 Keeping the Day Flexible

Even with all this planning, we rarely plan each day fully.

And that’s intentional.

We usually know what we can do, but we decide what we actually will do only after reaching.

Some days the weather changes everything. Some days the town feels too crowded. And, on some days we are simply too tired after the ride to follow an itinerary.

So we constantly re-evaluate:

• What locals recommend
• What Airbnb hosts suggest
• Which places seem too crowded
• Whether we actually feel like going somewhere

We have learned that skipping places is okay. Sometimes the best memories come from slowing down instead of trying to optimize every hour.

Things We Keep in Mind on the Road

Plan for Safety

On bike trips, safety is not a checklist. It’s a continuous awareness.

We try to stay conscious of:

• Blind turns
• Fatigue
• Weather changes
• Road quality
• Late-night riding

We start early whenever possible and take regular breaks, not just for the bike, but for ourselves too.

Sometimes a break is just chai. Sometimes it’s sitting quietly beside the road for five minutes doing absolutely nothing.

Both helps to keep up with the vibe, you see!

Plan for Memory

At the same time, we try to stay aware of what we are experiencing.

A lot of our favorite moments were completely unplanned:

• Rain hitting us during a ride in Chennai
• Empty roads outside Pondicherry
• Quiet conversations during tea stops

I document these moments quite religiously now.

Partly because I want to remember them once we are back in the chaos of Bangalore. And partly because these are the exact stories that eventually find their way onto Invisible Cities.

Plan to Learn

Every trip teaches us something.

Sometimes it’s realizing a destination feels completely different from what we had imagined.

Sometimes it’s small lessons:

• Better packing
• Smarter route timing
• Avoiding crowded weekends
• Starting earlier
• Riding slower

Every ride improves the next one. And honestly, that’s probably why we enjoy bike trips so much.

Basically, every trip slowly teaches us how to travel better.

In Conclusion

If you’re thinking about a bike trip and staring at a blank notes app, start with the mood. The rest tends to follow.

And if you want some destination ideas, we’ve written about a few: 

• Bangalore to Ooty (our very first bike trip), 
• Bangalore to Mysore (proof that one day is enough to make it worth it), 
• and Leh to Zanskar (a very different kind of road, and a story about the journey becoming the destination).

More on the way. We’re already planning the next one.

Till then, Happy reading!