Day 3: Bharatpur to Shivpuri - Early grind to free ride as the day ended!

After the long walk at the sanctuary the day before, sleep came easier and stayed longer. Woke up feeling rested. The body had finally caught up with the miles already covered.

The morning moved slowly, with the comfort of home-cooked food easing the start. Parathas and chai, served hot, made by Rinkesh's mother. A staple Indian breakfast — nothing fancy, just food that fills and feels right before a journey. Settled the food bill, packed up, and by 1:45 PM, was back on the road.

The drive ahead wasn't the smoothest. The route to Gwalior passed through Dholpur, Morena, and a crossing over the Chambal River. On the map it looked straightforward, in motion it was anything but. The roads themselves were fine, but traffic didn't allow any flow. Local vehicles and slow-moving trucks made it hard to build any rhythm. Between short bursts of movement and longer pauses, the pace felt stuck. Overtaking required patience, and sometimes more patience than expected.

Things changed once past Gwalior, the city of Tansen. Hitting the Agra–Mumbai highway felt like a reset. Traffic thinned, the road opened up, and for the first time that day, the drive felt predictable. Open fields on both sides, the distant Vindhya range in view, and the kind of road that lets you settle in not just behind the wheel, but also in your thoughts.

Somewhere along the way, as the sun began to tilt westward, pulled over at a roadside restaurant for tea and snacks. Nothing elaborate. Just a chance to step out, stretch, and have a quiet cup before the last stretch into Shivpuri.

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The stay was at a banquet hall with rooms attached. It wasn't the kind of place that makes an impression. Functional, a stop for the night. The walls between rooms were thin enough to make neighbours of complete strangers. Conversations from the next room came through with more clarity than they should have. One of those places where you automatically lower your voice without being asked.

A reminder that not every stop on the road is meant to be memorable.

Dinner was quick. The day wrapped up without much else. The road had been long, not difficult, just broken in parts by trucks, traffic, and a hotel better suited as a stopover. The plan for the next day was open. That was enough for now.