[sudev]

It all started with a sting!!

Yesterday - June 15
Yes early morning as I was loading my small bag for the journey ahead in to the car I felt as if some one has driven a hot needle on my inside of my elbow. I had lifter the bag halfway in to air and could not just drop as it carried some precious electronic equipment - GPS/Camera etc. - so placed it in the boot. As it was still dark I located the car's emergency torch and then looked closely to the area from where pain and heat was radiating. A small honey bee had attacked me and was stuck to my skin. Carefully removed it and the sting using pliers but by this time the elbow was swollen considerably. I do not know if it is anywhere considered a good or bad omen to start a journey getting stung!!

Anyways keeping "Que Sera Sera" attitude started off to pick up another friend who is going to occupy the left hand seat till Ahmedabad. (I do not know if it is Ahmedabad or Ahmadabad - My spell checker says the latter but GTO has carefully edited my last few posts elsewhere to former)


Road Observations:
Delhi-Ahmedabad completed yesterday in 11 hours of driving time. As I covered most of the area between midnoon and late afternoon the truck traffic was relatively low after Kotputli.
Once you are past Gurgaon/Manesar the density of traffic will depend on time of the day. Watch out for serpentine queue- moves slowly but surely - over the bridges at Behror and Kundali. Lots of road widening work going on to make it a six lane highway till Jaipur. Jaipur bypass is also being widened and so expect jams towards the Ajmer expressway end.
The roads around Bhilwara have huge bitumen undulations due to over loaded trucks. At one or two places the undulations are high enough to scrap your car!! The Chitorgarh bypass has huge bumps on all bridges/culverts. SO watch out as no warnings are posted. Overtaking trailers here can be hairy if your car jumps off the tarmac at such bump!! Udaipur ring road has perpetual truck traffic jams. Traffic cops standing by not enforcing "stick to your lane" discipline. Resultant gridlock creates this mess. It is better to go straight in and take left at a junction near railway station and join NH8 again at start of bypass. Ghat section after Udaipur is lovely to drive but is also having undulations due to overloaded vehicles sticking to one lane.
Paid Rs571 as toll for the day.

This travelogue is going to be hopefully written on daily basis as I travel through and so may make sense to be read as a daily report.

[sudev]

Travel tip:
Timing the start of your trip is one major key to have easy drive. If you are going to travel on a major truck route then plan for covering the congested parts of this between the following segments as they usually take a breather.
0000hrs to 0600hrs
1200hrs to 1800hrs
2000hrs to 2200hrs

Add to this your local area traffic pattern and you will get better idea of when to start. So starting at 0500hrs from Faridabad meant avoiding any Gurgaon Manesar mess that starts off between 0700hrs and lasts till 1100hrs. Though this was not optimum time for driving beyond Manesar as truck traffic and morning car traffic to Jaipur was moderately heavy. However beyond Jaipur the things eased out considerably and remained so almost till entry to Ahmedabad. The following sums up hourly distance eaten up:
0500-0600 65km Reached Manesar
0600-0700 65km Reached Neerana
0700-0800 57km
0800-0900 30km - breakfast stop for thirty minutes
0900-1000 85km
1000-1100 100km
1100-1200 90km Nearing Bhilwara
1200-1300 90km Chittorgarh Bypass
1300-1400 90km Nearing Udiapur
1400-1500 13kms Udaipur traffic jam and lunch
1500-1600 100km
1600-1700 90km
1700-1800 Reached Ahmedabad (forgot to note the reading at this time)

Another tip that is passed on by HVKumar is try and not take big stops for meals etc. Though I did not follow it but the total drive time was 11hour 30 minutes while the total journey time was 13hours. So 1hour was "wasted" in relaxing and 30 minutes or so in a traffic jam.

Drive Behavior:
I kept on observing the overall driving styles and behavior on the highway. Truckers by and large were most disciplined. The hazardous ones are mini trucks and many of the "Chotta Haathi's". The former have comparatively higher acceleration and so tend to change lanes without signalling. The Chota Haathi's - both four and three wheeled ones - will putter along the highway driving on the lane markers thus effectively blocking two lanes. Worst are the cab car drivers. Aggressive driving behavior coupled with faster cars is definitely not a good combination. I saw many near miss as the cab guys over took trucks from left and the immediately moved to right lanes in front of the big truck. A smallest of contact can be disastrous.
Two wheelers on highways are absolute menace. They behave as if they are owners of all lanes and will change lanes without even looking in mirror - if the have one. Most of them will move from left most position to right most position all of a sudden ahead of their turn off to right without bothering about high speed traffic behind them. Saw on such chap (RIP) crushed under a truck. Poor trucker would be behind bars for no fault of his.


Just to illustrate my point. Spot the idiot in the picture. Had to brake all of sudden when he decides to jump from right most lane to left most.

[sudev]

After spending couple of days at Ahmedabad started off alone for cross country drive to Vizag. Since I could only plan to start past noon the target was to reach Saputara, a "hill" resort on the south east corner of Gujarat.
The express way between Ahmedabad and Vadodra is tops. Though I kept steady on the highway many people were whizzing past. Don't mind the insect splat in middle of the picture. Continuous trailing means no intrusions. Though locals still are seen walking across.



Past Vadodra the traffic increases as trucks that have taken the old route also join in. At times the habit of double overtaking taxes your patience. One truck overtaking another with hardly any speed differential, in turn being overtaken by another!


Patience is tested. At places I saw signs indicating heavy traffic to only use outer and middle lane leaving inner lane for light traffic. If only these are also enforced.

After Navsari I was supposed to turn off the NH8 at Chikli and get on to state highway 15. After Saputara, this goes into Maharashtra to Nashik.
But saw another sign about 10kms before Chikli for Saputara. A quick look at google maps confirmed that this road was the short side of triangle so took it. It went through some pretty lush green country side.
Interesting to see many green house and plant nursery in the area. Wonder where they sell their produce? Mumbai?

[sudev]

June 19:

Passing through Vansda WLS on State Highway 15 is a lovely driving experience. A nicely kept road with excellent surface. I wonder why bikers have not discovered this lovely stretch going up to Saputara. It has all that a biker would ask for.


June 19: Next day target Unknown

Having reached Saputara I was still undecided what is going to be the night halt for next day. One thing was obvious I did not want to drive across the heart of Indian and land up in Vizag early. Vizag was target for June 23. So I had two days to cover the distance and I was all alone.

Talked to few people and briefly even went on a tangent to drive to Hyderabad and pick up a friend from there who was also going to Vizag!! But having read lovely travelogues of @nilanjanray (http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...-outdoors.html) was tempted very much to try and stay at least one night at Tadoba. So went to sleep having decided to get to Nagpur by mid afternoon and try and get booking at Tadoba.

June 20: Nagpur ahoy!

There was slight rain during the night Saputara was very chilly in the morning. This woke me up even before my alarm went off at 0430hrs. I was out of Saputara by 0500hrs. It was lovely driving through some back country roads while the dawn filtered through advancing monsoon clouds.


Passing through many small and big towns with variety of road types and surfaces is never tiring experience for me. Though boredom of a long lonely drive does come in once in a while the amazing scenery and observing people at road side is a reward in itself.


Some where near Amrawati I was signaled to stop by three four policemen....

[sudev]

I pulled over and stepped out.
Me: Yes sir
One police man: Where are you coming from?
Me: Right now from Saputara.
OPM: Is that where you live?
Me: No I live near Delhi.
OPM: Then why you have HR number plate?
Me: Because near Delhi is Faridabad which is in Haryana.
OPM: Outstation ho?
Me: Yes
OPM: Achcha to papers dikhao (Okay then show me the vehicle papers)?
Me: Agar mein out station nahin hota to (If I was not from out of station)?
OPM: Toh hum aap ko nahin rokte. Chalo, aap itni achchi tareh baat kar rahen hain, jao (Then we would not have stopped you. Since you are talking to us so nicely, go)
Me: Thanks, but still one question...
OPM: Ask
Me: Why outstation cars are suspect?
OPM: Most of the guys who lift cars up in north or in east come and sell them in hinterland and that is why the checking is more stringent on outstation vehicles. Anyway's...do show me your papers.

I was wondering here he had let me go and now he is asking for papers again. Me and my curiosity. Anyways the papers were produced:
Registration Check
Insurance Check
Pollution Under Control (PUC) Certificate Check
Driving License Check

So they kindly wave me off and I resume my journey pondering over their wisdom(?) of deciding on vehicles to check and prevent theft etc.

Much later, in July, I wanted a MTNL/BSNL sim card. I was asked by dealer for address proof and I fished out my driving license. He handed it back to me saying that it was expired!! Sure enough the license had expired in January 2012 - though in my action list it was listed for renewal in January 2013 - and I had to get it renewed pronto since in two days we were leaving for a drive to Leh.

So much for the diligence in checking papers. From January to July I have driven to Ahmedabad and Bhuj three four time. Driven to Chandigarh few times. Driven to Almora to spend a few days at a friends cottage (another travelogue). Had a cop stop me for infringing the damned tint film rule. Registered at hotels innumerable times. Not once did any one say the license is expired!

[sudev]

A picture from Vansada WLS entrance:


June 20: Pench WLS for night

Approaching Nagpur the NHAI has done a good job and I was cruising along when I over took a biker on Pulsar. He was in no mood to let me over take him. With no other traffic in sight in in early after noon heat we were the only two vehicles. I kept my pace steady. As we would be on a incline his speed would bleed away and I would over take him and he on the declines. This "game" continued for almost thirty kilometers before he turned off for his village. For record he had me beat by almost half a km. Such diversions not only take away the boredom but also make the journey memorable one.

I had phoned my friend in Nagpur the night before to help me secure a booking for a night or two at Tadoba. They called in to say that Tadoba, and all parks in Maharshtra, closed on June 15th. However parts of Pench, in Madhaya Pradesh, are open. So they had booked me at a resort outside Pench with a package that included early morning Safari.

So from Nagpur I took the road towards Seoni. Road? National Highway? Moon surface? Craters? Meteor hit? I do not know what to say. This was the most painful stretch. Every kilometer there was a broken patch that made sure you could not speed away. And on top there were speed breakers at places!!!

At one point I saw this - though on the other side of the road and thought why not turn around and go to the tip of India. Then put that in bucket list. One more trip to be done.


Reached resort out side the reserve and I was the only person there. The manager cheerfully told me that since there are not enough people I had the option fo taking the safari by paying for full Gypsy or foregoing it. I was in mood for neither so persuaded him to talk to other resorts and find out if there were some others taking the morning safari and had a seat to share.

So I relaxed a while and saw evening turn in to darkness.


He came back at dinner time with joy on his face "Sir with great difficulty I have managed a seat for you but you have to be up by 0400hrs so that I can drive you to that resort in time." So he had scored all the penalty kicks and won a great match. Ah okay - 0400 did not sound problem to me as I am used waking up at that sort of time. As a back up set alarm on the mobile and went off to sleep.

[sudev]

June 21: Morning Safari

It was destined to be exercise in futility as there was rain over night. The pre-monsoon showers meant hardly any chance of seeing wild life much less the big cats. But to be honest I was being miserly as I had already paid for my seat and there were to be no refunds.

Here I was ready and out of the room by 0430hrs and waiting for the manager to come and drive me to the neighborly resort which was willing to take me as extra passenger. Pacing around the entry gate of the resort I was breathing fresh air with smell of damp earth. It is a smell that makes you happy. Fresh breeze and over head cloud cover added to my sense of well being. Only trouble spot appeared to be the missing manager....and his mobile would give unreachable signal.

At 0500 - full 45 minutes later - I shook awake one of the staff sleeping in the reception - and asked "Where is the manager? I will miss my safari"
"No sir, the Gypsy will come here. Some more guests came at night now we will have a full Gypsy"
"So what time they will leave?"
"Sir by 0530"
Oh okay. Only no one cared to have informed me.
"Why 0530?"
"Because gates open only at 0600"
"Get me some tea atleast"
"Sir the cook will come at 0600"

So I continued with my pacing and instead of being unhappy took in lungfuls of fresh air and saw the dawn turning to day. Heard the sound of ants - you can hardly ever hear it in urban jungle. Saw birds flit from branch to branch.

The safari as I said earlier was exercise in futility. Except having more fresh air in company of a family from Kolkota with loudly excited children. Decided that one night was good enough. I went and spent next night in Nagpur and met up with loads of rally friends.

[moralfibre]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Travelogues Section. Thanks for sharing!

[sudev]

June 22: To Vizag

After a fun night with rallying friends in Nagpur checked out of Nagppur at usual 0400hrs. Though there was cloud cover the rain drops held back and it was fun to drive with sparse early morning traffic. The trouble spots were multiple toll gates. Each charging petty sums. I wonder when we will be able to have a cashless toll system across India - sigh!

And since the complete road has not been made in to divided highways there were confusing and scantily marked merges of road.

As the dawn broke it started drizzling and then pouring hard.


I was driving a car with a set of tyres which were quite worn off and one of them had touched the tyre replacement marking (TWI). The water performance difference between new and worn tyres was brought home to me in this rain. Cruising at around speed limit and taking one of the curves to the right I suddenly felt car aquaplaning and slipping. Immediately reduced throttle slightly and steered a bit to left, in to the slip. The moment car slowed a bit turned the steering right and continued.

Such high speed slips can be very dangerous and if I had not corrected it in time properly I would have been part of the forest scenery in a jiffy.

So two lessons re-learnt. Slow down when it starts pouring hard. And remember how much your tyres and worn.

Around Rajnandangaon I was to take a smaller road right that would take me directly past Durg and Raipur. This would reduce distance. However the car developed a puncture and to change the tyre I had to seek shelter under the canopy of a fuel pump station. Since I was inside the town I got the puncture repaired at this rain drenched establishment.


Taking the bye pass at Durg I continued southwards seeking to join road south from Raipur to Jagdalpur. I do not know if it is NH5 or SH5 the markings were very confusing. Then I came upon the village which questioned the very FUNDA (fundamental) of travelling:


I had missed clicking the name of village just before this ANDA (egg).

[noidea]

Reminds me of this very popular song called Ande ka Funda from a movie called Jodi No. 1 which had Govinda and Sanjay Dutt in it.

Great Start, Keep going. I am hooked.

[sudev]

@noidea : Yes thats what I though at the time.

June 22: .....
The journey to Jagdalpur passes through some of the most lovely forests but sadly is also the hot bed of naxal movement so one does see para forces doing road sweep duties as you drive along. There was more than enough traffic during the day as this is main north south connecting road for the state of Chhatisgarh.

Soon after I started coming to signboards announcing Chitrakoot. The name has a nice historic ring to it and the knowledge that there are some lovely water falls there. Almost got tempted in to taking a 50 kms detour but was feeling hungry as I had not eaten anything since dinner the night before.

It was still drizzling when I was approaching Kanker. Came by this Punjabi Dhaba and so stopped with picture of paratha and chai in my mind:


Stretched my self before sitting down and asked for pratha chai.
"Woh to nahin hai"
"Punjabi dhabha hai?"
"Haan Sardar je ka hai"
"Paratha nahin hai?"
"Nahin"
"Kya hai?"
"Idly Dosa yada yada yada...."

Shattered at not getting pratha at a Punjabi dhaba I ended up gobbling some ildi's with coffee.

After Jagdalpur the roads become a bit curvy and slowly the ghat sections come in to play. Caution. No not for ghat section roads but very badly broken and under construction stretch here. Took patience not to get the car's underside ripped. Specially between Jeypore and Sallur. There after the roads are a breeze. And just before Vizag you join the Eastern Expressway NH5.

Starting early means that you reach destination before sun down - at least thats what I always try and plan - and get to see a bit of destination and get general idea of the place.

I was in Vizag to attend a AutoCross organised by a local club. One picture from there that stands out:

[sudev]

A time lapse video showing the fast forward travel through back roads

http://youtu.be/Q6hYjQBrqWY

[srinathv7861]

I am planning a tripdown to Vizag on Dec 24th . I would like to take the
Delhi- Agra- Gwallior- Jhansi - Durg- Koraput route. I need to be in Vizag on 27th Dec. Intend driving as much as possible with minimal halts and refuelling. Will Maruti 800 be better or Ford Endeavor?


Anyone who has recently done this stretch or alternative stretches to Vizag may please give tips.

[julupani]

Originally Posted by srinathv7861

Delhi- Agra- Gwallior- Jhansi - Durg- Koraput route.

You mean Delhi-Agra-Jhansi-Nagpur-Raipur-Jagdalpur-Vizag route, I imagine.

From what I have read here on the forum, quite a few stretches on this route are not very good.

I think the best route for you would be to stick to the GQ, and do a Delhi-Varanasi-Kolkata-Vishakahpatnam.

Both the routes will take you 3 days of driving, but the GQ will be far more relaxing and have better roads, though it will be a few hundred kms longer.

[srinathv7861]

Thank you Julupani. The Calcutta Bhubaneswar Vizag route , could be a possibility. The roads will certainly be better. Do you think it is possible to do the Calcutta Vizag stretch in one day? 4 am start from kolkata and reach vizag by 10p.m. with maybe one half hour break in Bhubaneswar? If you have access to some recent threads , who have done these legs, it iwould be useful. Because if it the GQ route, I would prefer my SUV, ford endeavor and if it is single lanes, where speed is likely to be around 80 -90 kmph, I would prefer my maruti 800.