[laluks]

Thanks Damu.

Your travelogue gave the required push for us to do this trip

You are right, you have to be with your friends / extended family there to enjoy better.

For the road part - It was like Once bitten twice shy case for us

[StarVegabond]

Originally Posted by laluks

I looked in to one of the shots I had taken from outside, and cropped to get a glimpse of The Mother.

aaha.. i was thinking, why you did not post that picture, then i thought it might have been a spoilt shot.

Now that really is a good picture especially considering the distance from the road and the crowd in the church.

Originally Posted by Damu

Hi Lalu and Star,

Enjoyed your T/L! You guys had a real friendship outing, that makes this write up special.

It was good that you went as a group, that is what we (my wife and I) missed when we went to Tranquebar. But we will definitely make a return trip with friends and stay for two days.

Once again, enjoyable write up, thanks for all the efforts by you both to compile and put it up.

Thanks Damu,

As Lalu metioned, your log created awareness and increased our curiosity and Lalu's initiative that made the trip happen.

yes you are right, traveling in a group is much more fun than traveling in a very small family.

may we expect a Tranquebar 2.0 travelogue from you in near future.


For my future use, here is the actual route map taken by us.


Regarding the total distance, we travelled 1133KMs instead of 1149 KM shown in the google map. 1.39% error which i think is pretty okay.

Road conditions :

Yelahanka - Silkboard (3:30 AM): sparse traffic, mostly airport bound or retruning traffic. we drove very liesurely as Lalu was only expected by 4 AM.
Bangalore roads are wonderful to drive at night.

Silkboard - E-City (4 AM): We took the underpass roads as Lalu was looking for some ATMs, at that time 4 AM, even under the elevated toll over bridge, roads are pretty good/fast.

E-City to Hosur (4 AM): Dense Truck traffic especially at 4 AM as it is the time for the trucks to start generally.

Hosur - Kanchipuram (4:30 AM-7:30AM): Un-interrupted drive, very sparse traffic roads, some wonderful views especially during the early morning. This is the strech Lalu established a lead of 15-20 minutes over me.

NH46-Kachipuram-exit (7:30 AM to 8:00 AM): Dug up roads, private buses, 2 wheelers, morning walkers, vegitable/flower market place on either side of the road

Kanchipuram exit - Mahabalipuram (8:30 AM to 10:00 AM) : wonderful 2 lane roads, sparse traffic, in between 2-3 small towns that needs caution.

Mahabalipuram-Pondicherry (2 PM to 3:30 PM): 96 KMs of wonderful ECR, very scenic, but several turns and regular intercity traffic, some erritating two wheelers near the villages. overall one can maintain 80KMPH speed.

Pondicherry internal roads (3:30PM to 4:00 PM): Like any city, it took us about 45 minutes including a fuel stop, full of traffic and signals.

Pondicherry-Cuddalore-Chidambaram (4:00PM to 5:30 PM): Full of traffic, trucks, 2 wheelers, twists, turns, couple of railway crossings, several speed breakers near the villages/blind turns. private buses driving at their own (at high) speed, 2 wheeler drivers taking at will truns etc.

Chidambaram-Tranquebar (5:30 PM to 7:00 PM): Single lane, full of traffic, stop and go, average 3 speed breakers per KM, moronic attitude of the oncoming vehicles/drivers for not sharing the road width. Avg speed of 20KMPH for this 40KM distance.

Tranquebar - Karaikal-Nagapattinam-Vailankanni (2 PM to 3:30 PM): Wonderful smooth road, few diversions, Nagapattinam needs some navigation, difficult for a non tamil speaking driver to get directions, most of the boards are in Tamil and Tamil only (e.g. a non tamil person can easily read the board as Jilebijilebipuram or ImartiImartibadi or jahangirjahangirkanni, in a nutshell everything looks identical and round and round)

Vailankanni-Nagapattinam-Tanjavur (6 PM to 7:30 PM): Good roads, but full of evening traffic, private busses, trucks and two wheelers.

Tanjavur-Trichy (7:30 PM to 8:30 PM): Wonderful roads, this is where, i again overtook Lalu, and ofcourse Lalu stopped for re-fueling in between.

Trichy-Namakkal-Salem (9:30 PM to 12:00): Full of jungle on both sides (or atleast i felt it so), night traffic mostly trucks and busses. one can go fast till you encounter next vehicle, it will take few minutes to overtake as roads are only 2 lane, several blind turns. might be very scenic during the day time.

Salem internal roads (12:00 midnight) : would need some help for a non tamil speaking driver, at night very easy to drive, can be chaotic during the day time. hitting the 4 lane highway would need some directions.

Salem-Dharmapura-Krishnagiri-Hosun-Silkboard (12:00 to 2:30 AM): Un-interrupted drive. I think we drove this in less than 3 hours, Amazing drive, Best time drive is night time.

Silkboard-Yelahanka (2:30 AM to 3:00 AM): again it was a pleasure to drive at 3AM in the morning, mostly airport bound traffic of taxi or volvos.

Overall : Except for Chidambaram-Tranquebar, most of the other roads were very good or excellent. Tamilnadu is one of the state in india (other than Gujrat & Maharastra) where, roads seems to be in better shape.

Lalu: May be you can add more info on this road conditions

My ANHCs overall fuel efficiency truned out to be 13.4 KMPH (over 1260 KMs out of which last 130KMs were driven inside Bangalore city traffic). During onward trip (Bangalore-Mahab) the ANHC gave 14.xx which seems to have dipped later on due to stop and go driving as well as pedal to metal driving between Salem to Silkboard.

[laluks]

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

aaha.. i was thinking, why you did not post that picture, then i thought it might have been a spoilt shot. Now that really is a good picture especially considering the distance from the road and the crowd in the church.

Thanks Star. I was trying that at the 105 end of the lens, where as the 500mm was lying in the car unused in this trip :(

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

may we expect a Tranquebar 2.0 travelogue from you in near future.

Me too expecting the same.

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

Bangalore roads are wonderful to drive at night.

In agreement 100%. Bangalore has a wonderful charm with all those neon bulbs in full glory.

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

Silkboard - E-City (4 AM): We took the underpass roads as Lalu was looking for some ATMs, at that time 4 AM, even under the elevated toll over bridge, roads are pretty good/fast.
E-City to Hosur (4 AM): Dense Truck traffic especially at 4 AM as it is the time for the trucks to start generally.

No ATM visible on the left side of the road, but atleast I saw two on the right side. But then did not want to jump the road divider and fence.
Truck traffic was high, but atleast they were disciplined and sticking to their lanes unlike the autos and all that call centre cabs and sumos.

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

Hosur - Kanchipuram (4:30 AM-7:30AM): Un-interrupted drive, very sparse traffic roads, some wonderful views especially during the early morning. This is the strech Lalu established a lead of 15-20 minutes over me.

Beautiful roads. But watch out for cycles coming out of the divider. Middle lane is safe.

Time -- Distance -- Place
03:46 -- 000.0 -- Home
04:30 -- 015.0 -- Silk Board
07:19 -- 285.0 -- Right Turn to Kancheepuram

270KM in 02:49 hrs.

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

NH46-Kachipuram-exit (7:30 AM to 8:00 AM): Dug up roads, private buses, 2 wheelers, morning walkers, vegitable/flower market place on either side of the road

Everytime I have been here I got diverted into some roads before I get to the two lane road. This time I came out through a market and joined the road from the left. last time I joined the road some where from the right

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

Kanchipuram exit - Mahabalipuram (8:30 AM to 10:00 AM) : wonderful 2 lane roads, sparse traffic, in between 2-3 small towns that needs caution.

Yes, but also some tiny humps which are invisible.

Time -- Distance -- Place
07:19 -- 285.0 -- Right Turn to Kancheepuram (Break for 15 minutes here)
10:02 -- 356.5 -- Mahabalipuram

71.5KM in 2.5 hours, 2 breaks. Beautiful two lane roads.

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

Mahabalipuram-Pondicherry (2 PM to 3:30 PM): 96 KMs of wonderful ECR, very scenic, but several turns and regular intercity traffic, some erritating two wheelers near the villages. overall one can maintain 80KMPH speed.
Pondicherry internal roads (3:30PM to 4:00 PM): Like any city, it took us about 45 minutes including a fuel stop, full of traffic and signals.

Beautiful ECR road. The road is silky smooth, and overtaking is prohibited at many places. Pondy traffic was sparse on that day, as per my experience earlier.

Time -- Distance -- Place
14:01 -- 358.7 -- Start after Lunch from Mahabalipuram
15:29 -- 454.8 -- Pondicherry exit

104KM in 01:28 hrs

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

Pondicherry-Cuddalore-Chidambaram (4:00PM to 5:30 PM): Full of traffic, trucks, 2 wheelers, twists, turns, couple of railway crossings, several speed breakers near the villages/blind turns. private buses driving at their own (at high) speed, 2 wheeler drivers taking at will truns etc.

Time -- Distance -- Place
15:29 -- 454.8 -- Pondicherry
16:18 -- 477.8 -- Cuddalore Anna Bridge
17:04 -- 520.2 -- Chidambaram

66KM in 01:05 hrs

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

Chidambaram-Tranquebar (5:30 PM to 7:00 PM): Single lane, full of traffic, stop and go, average 3 speed breakers per KM, moronic attitude of the oncoming vehicles/drivers for not sharing the road width. Avg speed of 20KMPH for this 40KM distance.

I did not want to sound rude, but yes they were morons. I agree!

Time -- Distance -- Place
17:04 -- 520.2 -- Chidambaram
18:52 -- 571.2 -- Tranquebar

51KM in 01:48hrs - This is the only pain route in the whole trip.

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

Tranquebar - Karaikal-Nagapattinam-Vailankanni (2 PM to 3:30 PM): Wonderful smooth road, few diversions, Nagapattinam needs some navigation, difficult for a non tamil speaking driver to get directions, most of the boards are in Tamil and Tamil only (e.g. a non tamil person can easily read the board as Jilebijilebipuram or ImartiImartibadi or jahangirjahangirkanni, in a nutshell everything looks identical and round and round)

Super two lane roads.

Time -- Distance -- Place
14:43 -- 0571.3 -- Tranquebar
15:47 -- 0616.0 -- Velankanni Church

45KM in 01:04hrs

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

Vailankanni-Nagapattinam-Tanjavur (6 PM to 7:30 PM): Good roads, but full of evening traffic, private busses, trucks and two wheelers.

Narrow two lane roads. better not to overtake anyone here.

Time -- Distance -- Place
17:45 -- 0616.0 -- Start from Velankanni
18:26 -- 0651.4 -- Thanjavur

35KM in 00:41hrs

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

Tanjavur-Trichy (7:30 PM to 8:30 PM): Wonderful roads, this is where, i again overtook Lalu, and ofcourse Lalu stopped for re-fueling in between.

Four laning in progress. 70 - 80% done. Diversions exist.

Time -- Distance -- Place
18:26 -- 0651.4 -- Thanjavur
20:51 -- 0760.0 -- Trichy

109KM in 02:25hrs

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

Trichy-Namakkal-Salem (9:30 PM to 12:00): Full of jungle on both sides (or atleast i felt it so), night traffic mostly trucks and busses. one can go fast till you encounter next vehicle, it will take few minutes to overtake as roads are only 2 lane, several blind turns. might be very scenic during the day time.

We should have ideally taken Trichy Karur, but in the night some sign boards took us to Namakkal. Truck traffic was heavy. I was told that Namakkal sees the highest truck registrations in the country. Roads are patchy, did not enjoy the drive here. Risky! Overtaking not advised!

Time -- Distance -- Place
21:48 -- 0760.0 -- Trichy
23:43 -- 0847.5 -- Namakkal

87.5KM in 01:55hrs

Namakkal Salem was abreeze. Its NH7. Beautiful!

Time -- Distance -- Place
23:43 -- 0847.5 -- Namakkal
00:18 -- 0896.7 -- Salem Tea break

50KM in 00:35hrs

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

Salem internal roads (12:00 midnight) : would need some help for a non tamil speaking driver, at night very easy to drive, can be chaotic during the day time. hitting the 4 lane highway would need some directions.

Don't know where you went, Its normally a right turn under the flyover. Did you go straight?

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

Salem-Dharmapura-Krishnagiri-Hosun-Silkboard (12:00 to 2:30 AM): Un-interrupted drive. I think we drove this in less than 3 hours, Amazing drive, Best time drive is night time.

Beautiful NH7, and perfect time to drive.

Time -- Distance -- Place
00:29 -- 0896.7 -- Start
02:46 -- 1096.3 -- Silkboard

200KM in 02:17hrs

I think this is my best timing in this stretch till now. Thanks to the time and sparse truck traffic.

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

Silkboard-Yelahanka (2:30 AM to 3:00 AM): again it was a pleasure to drive at 3AM in the morning, mostly airport bound traffic of taxi or volvos.

Yes, Bangalore road in night is just amazing, especially the new Airport road.

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

Overall : Except for Chidambaram-Tranquebar, most of the other roads were very good or excellent. Tamilnadu is one of the state in india (other than Gujrat & Maharastra) where, roads seems to be in better shape.
Lalu: May be you can add more info on this road conditions

Addded

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

My ANHCs overall fuel efficiency truned out to be 13.4 KMPH (over 1260 KMs out of which last 130KMs were driven inside Bangalore city traffic). During onward trip (Bangalore-Mahab) the ANHC gave 14.xx which seems to have dipped later on due to stop and go driving as well as pedal to metal driving between Salem to Silkboard.

My Civvy gave an overall figure of 10.98KM/L

[Damu]

Originally Posted by laluks

Thanks Damu.
Your travelogue gave the required push for us to do this trip
For the road part - It was like Once bitten twice shy case for us

Glad to hear that Lalu! Yes the roads were awful in parts, but when we returned having enjoyed our short holiday, we quickly forgot the painful parts!

Moreover, the single worst event for us was the frightening near accident with a schoolboy on a cycle on the Chennai-Bangalore NH, which was worse than anything else. Even now, a month later, my wife and I shudder when we think of that. So I guess that incident influenced us to take a different view of the route later.

Your GPS extracts are very interesting; really enhances the report of road trips.

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

Thanks Damu,
As Lalu metioned, your log created awareness and increased our curiosity and Lalu's initiative that made the trip happen.
may we expect a Tranquebar 2.0 travelogue from you in near future.

Thanks Star! Will do a trip and provide update on road conditions. Good that both of you covered the important aspects of Tharangambadi which I didn't know about till later!

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

Chidambaram-Tranquebar Single lane, full of traffic, stop and go, average 3 speed breakers per KM, moronic attitude of the oncoming vehicles/drivers for not sharing the road width. Avg speed of 20KMPH for this 40KM distance.

As I recall, the really bad section was Sirkali (Sirkazhi) - Tranquebar for a distance of 15 kms which was bad enough to tear my tyre! Cost me Rs. 4000 :(

You've been on that road, I'm sure you will agree how lucky I was not to have to change the tyre on that section! Thank God for that (...I believe in the saying - "there's always a silver lining in every cloud").

Pondy - Cuddalore was made painful by two wheelers (who are a pain in Bangalore also). I found here that the most important part of my car was the HORN. I was forced to honk all the time and I was hating it but had no choice.
.

[StarVegabond]

Originally Posted by Damu

Yes the roads were awful in parts, but when we returned having enjoyed our short holiday, we quickly forgot the painful parts!
...
...
As I recall, the really bad section was Sirkali (Sirkazhi) - Tranquebar for a distance of 15 kms which was bad enough to tear my tyre! Cost me Rs. 4000 :(

yes, once you reach the place it tends to apply the balm with its courtesy, calmness, breeze and the view

sorry to note that your car suffered with a tyre tear.

After initial few occations with the moronic vehicles where we were pushed down the rough edges and getting hit at the bottom of the car, myself and lalu both became equally moronic and did not get down from the road, forcing the truckers & jeepers to get down.

touchwood, we did not experience any issue with the car.

[laluks]

Originally Posted by Damu

Glad to hear that Lalu! Yes the roads were awful in parts, but when we returned having enjoyed our short holiday, we quickly forgot the painful parts!

Moreover, the single worst event for us was the frightening near accident with a schoolboy on a cycle on the Chennai-Bangalore NH, which was worse than anything else. Even now, a month later, my wife and I shudder when we think of that. So I guess that incident influenced us to take a different view of the route later.

Your GPS extracts are very interesting; really enhances the report of road trips.

Thanks Damu.
Yes you are right, the sudden appearances of cycles from behind the bushes of the road divider on the NH is a nightmare to me as well. I have instances where my heart popped through my mouth. So I stick with the middle lane now.

Originally Posted by Damu

Thanks Star! Will do a trip and provide update on road conditions. Good that both of you covered the important aspects of Tharangambadi which I didn't know about till later!

Waiting for it

Originally Posted by Damu

As I recall, the really bad section was Sirkali (Sirkazhi) - Tranquebar for a distance of 15 kms which was bad enough to tear my tyre! Cost me Rs. 4000 :(

You've been on that road, I'm sure you will agree how lucky I was not to have to change the tyre on that section! Thank God for that (...I believe in the saying - "there's always a silver lining in every cloud").

Pondy - Cuddalore was made painful by two wheelers (who are a pain in Bangalore also). I found here that the most important part of my car was the HORN. I was forced to honk all the time and I was hating it but had no choice.

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

yes, once you reach the place it tends to apply the balm with its courtesy, calmness, breeze and the view

sorry to note that your car suffered with a tyre tear.

After initial few occations with the moronic vehicles where we were pushed down the rough edges and getting hit at the bottom of the car, myself and lalu both became equally moronic and did not get down from the road, forcing the truckers & jeepers to get down.

touchwood, we did not experience any issue with the car.

Minimum courtesy of coming slow, and let them and us pass peacefully would have been ideal, but they seemed to like pushing others off the road. After a few vehicles which pushed us over the side with out concern, I have decided I've had enough.

Switched on my heads, and planted on the road firm and gave the medicine back. I stuck to my grounds on the road. Head on, I dont care. Then I realised, they accepted me easily and went their ways getting down the roads . I guess they only appreciate offensive driving there than a defensive style. Lesson learnt.