[addyhemmige]

Originally Posted by zaks

How is the road from chikmagalur->Mullaiyangiri->bababudangiri->kemmangundi? If we reach ckm by 11am will we be able to complete above abd be back in ckm by 7pm?

Also need some info on hotels for a night(sat) in ckm, called up vasanth vihar but its full and Planters court seems to be not having enough rooms.

Thanks.

The road is good until Kaimara (10kms from CKM). After that, it is bad. Also, please note that it will be raining very hard, so it might be more rough than usual. You will be able to come back to Chikmagalur by 7pm.

You can try Hotel Kounteya. Contact no: 08262 - 231169. I haven't stayed there personally, but have heard that it is good.

There is one more called Soundarya Residency. Not sure how it is though. Contact no: 08262 - 235257

[JMaruru]

Originally Posted by speedsatya

I will be getting the zen with all new suspension and tires in this week.I will be able to give updates on the NH48 and the NH17 by this month end.

BTW ..the NH17 looks awesome .Time for a Bangalore-Mangalore-Panaji-Panvel drive.

The Mangalore - Panaji - Panvel section, would be scenic, but roads are narrow and would take much more time than NH4. But definitely worth doing once.

[recshenoy]

People,
Any idea if Multi axel Volvo between Mangalore-Bangalore have started plying? I read on paper that multi axel volvo would be introduced soon due to its better maneuverability on ghat section! Kindly post the timing of same if any one has travelled.

One of my friends advised that it’s easy to maneuver multi axel Volvo on Ghat due to double wheels at back. Due to double wheels at rear, driver need not slow down the bus to very low speeds to take on a potholes. is it true?

[pramod]

Originally Posted by addyhemmige

There is one more called Soundarya Residency. Not sure how it is though. Contact no: 08262 - 235257

Soundarya is decent. More than that, you have a parking lot on the adjacent site, which is also owned by the hotel. So your car would remain safe, as the hotels are all on the bustand main road.

Dont miss the Town canteen Benne dosa

[SmartCat]

I plan to drive down to Mangalore (Surathkal actually) next week - my 7 month pregnant wife will be in the passenger seat. Taking a bus is out of question, taking a flight is risky (they might not allow her to fly or the aircraft might end up in a ditch or get re-routed to Kochi) and trains are full.

This is my plan -

- Get a seal of approval from her doc.
- Drive down to Madikeri and stay for the night at a hotel which is close to a decent hospital.
- Drive down to Surathkal the next day.

I don't want to do the entire Bangalore - Mangalore stretch in a single day (just in case my wife gets tired). I'm not taking the Shiradi Ghat route because I'm not sure if there are good hospitals in Sakleshpur (half-way between Bangalore & Surathkal).

Is this a good plan? I plan not to cross 70 kmph and take it really easy. Where should my wife sit? Front or back? Does the Kushalnagar - Madikeri road still have lots of potholes?

Basically, I'm looking for a route with the least amount of potholes and the one which goes through relatively bigger cities.

[speedsatya]

Originally Posted by smartcat

I plan to drive down to Mangalore (Surathkal actually) next week - my 7 month pregnant wife will be in the passenger seat. Taking a bus is out of question, taking a flight is risky (they might not allow her to fly or the aircraft might end up in a ditch or get re-routed to Kochi) and trains are full.

This is my plan -

- Get a seal of approval from her doc.
- Drive down to Madikeri and stay for the night at a hotel which is close to a decent hospital.
- Drive down to Surathkal the next day.

I don't want to do the entire Bangalore - Mangalore stretch in a single day (just in case my wife gets tired). I'm not taking the Shiradi Ghat route because I'm not sure if there are good hospitals in Sakleshpur (half-way between Bangalore & Surathkal).

Is this a good plan? I plan not to cross 70 kmph and take it really easy. Where should my wife sit? Front or back? Does the Kushalnagar - Madikeri road still have lots of potholes?

Basically, I'm looking for a route with the least amount of potholes and the one which goes through relatively bigger cities.

I would say the NH48 is as dangerous as flying to Mangalore .There will be hospitals in Hassan for sure .

Please remember to avoid Nelamangala -Kunigal and instead take the Magadi -Kunigal stretch.

The Madikeri road will have lot of curves .The NH48 in its present state would be a safer bet anytime .

The best time to start would be early morning ...around 5 am ..so that you are in Suratkal for lunch.

[SmartCat]

Well, atleast I won't skid off the runway - I have ABS

Originally thought about taking the NH48 but how long will Hassan - Surathkal take if I don't cross 70 kmph? Does the Shiradi Ghat have some bad stretches or is it completely tarred (no potholes)?

And no, I don't want to complete the trip in a single day - want to take a break somewhere.

[addyhemmige]

Even I would suggest the NH48. The Madikeri route would add approx 50 more kms to your journey. As recent updates have specified that Shiradi is fine, you should not have problems.

In case you do want to break your journey in between, better stay at Hassan. You have better facilities in Hassan (as compared to Sakleshpur or Madikeri).

As speedsatya says, if you leave early, you can reach Surathkal in the same day at your leisurely time.

[speedsatya]

Originally Posted by smartcat

Well, atleast I won't skid off the runway - I have ABS

Originally thought about taking the NH48 but how long will Hassan - Surathkal take if I don't cross 70 kmph? Does the Shiradi Ghat have some bad stretches or is it completely tarred (no potholes)?

And no, I don't want to complete the trip in a single day - want to take a break somewhere.

You can take a break in Hassan .
Hassan Mangalore should take 3 .5-4 hours at the max for your speeds .If you plan to take a break ,then this stretch will be deserted if you do it in the morning.

The ghat is in good shape ...and its safer to do during day time ...so ,if there are any bad stretches ...you wont be caught unawares...

Drive safe!

[StarVegabond]

Hi cat,

i also suggest you Magadi-Kunigal-Hassan-Shiradi route.
I would not suggest you to drive through winding roads.

I think there are good hospitals on the way . Adi chunchanagiri, Hassan could be some locations where hospitals are.

Hoysala resort (Hassan-Belur Road) is good place for relaxing.

I think the front seat is better, carry enough pillows if needed.
Have enough leg room for stretching by pushing the front seat to the rear most position.

ask your doctor to depute a trained nurse with you if you are not confident
any you will drive back in the car.

all the best.

[SmartCat]

Thanks all - NH48 it will be then. Gotcha on the front seats being pushed back.

[MX6]

Basically the airbags are considered safe for pregnant women. But I'd been adviced by doctors to be cautious.

Originally Posted by smartcat

Where should my wife sit? Front or back?

Basically, I'm looking for a route with the least amount of potholes and the one which goes through relatively bigger cities.

BACK. With dual airbags, your wife should NOT sit in front. In case of any accidental frontal impact, deployment of airbags is very dangerous and almost fatal for the foetus. I repeat, she needs to be in the BACK.

Originally Posted by smartcat

Well, atleast I won't skid off the runway - I have ABS

And no, I don't want to complete the trip in a single day - want to take a break somewhere.

You wont skid off the runway. But the twisties might be tiresome to your wife. Especially if she has motion sickness and pre-natal sickness syndrome, you better try to keep yourself to a straighter road and lower speeds. 70 looks good.

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

I think the front seat is better, carry enough pillows if needed.
Have enough leg room for stretching by pushing the front seat to the rear most position.

ask your doctor to depute a trained nurse with you if you are not confident
any you will drive back in the car.

all the best.

Front seat is a strict NO. Carry pillows as many as possible. Ensure your wife doesn't have to keep her legs hanging for long to avoid fluid accumulation and swelling around her ankles. So back seat is better where she can turn around and stretch her legs on the seats.

If your doctor says your wife is ok to travel, don't bother about nurses. Anything up to 34th or 35th week is fine and you don't need nurses or midwives to travel along provided the doctor says it's safe.

Be confident and drive safe. Anyway, you have an infrared pothole detector in your car.

And I repeat. No Front seat for your wife as you have dual airbags.

http://www.babycenter.in/pregnancy/t...rairbagexpert/

Though most websites suggest that it's not clearly mentioned that airbags are injurious, many doctors suggest back seat for pregnant women.

Final deciding authority would be her doctor on where she sits and what they say about airbags.

I'm telling all this because, it's some of the airbag manufacturers who put a disclaimer that pregnant women should not sit in front of air-bagged seats.

[ampere]

Most important question:

Is travel absolutely essential? If not then re-consider.

I hope you would have done that homework anyway.

[MX6]

Here's more I'm adding to the Airbag stuff. Though most websites would say that Airbags are not proven harmful to the foetus, most websites take in to account that airbags is safe when pregnant women drive. That is because in case of frontal impact, it's better that the air bag deploys than the steering wheel coming on heavily. But in your case, Pallavi will be on the passenger side.
There's always mixed theories about whether airbags are safe or not at this phase. My wife's doctors had adviced not to sit in front of air-bags because it was high risk case.
In any case, back seats are the safest and I feel that it's better she sits there. Seat belt IS A MUST.
But as stated earlier, check with her doctor to decide where she sits. And touch wood you have the safest and happiest travel.
Remember, I took my wife on 3 trips to Europe during her second trimester and early third trimester!

As a suggestion, plan your trip in a way that you have a doctor identified at places that comes every hour in your journey. You know where to go in case you do require.
More than a nurse, I'd suggest take your mother or better, her mother. Nobody beats a mom in these things!

[SmartCat]

@ampere

Travel is absolutely essential.

@MX6

Yes - regarding airbags, I have read both sides of the argument on the internet. I'm thinking back seats are bouncier than front - so was leaning more towards wife sitting in the front seat. Anyway, I think initially I will let her sit in the back and if she feels uncomfortable, will make her sit in the front.

Roger on the hospital names on the way - have done this already.