22nd July 2012, 15:39
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| Distinguished - BHPian   | A Trip Down South : Pune - Goa - Bangalore - Chennai "I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.” – Robert Louis Stevenson Prologue : Sometime in mid of May a plan was hatched. A function was to be attended to, without fail in mid July, in Chennai. The function was over the weekend so a to/fro flight option could be easily opted for. But it didn't click all the boxes, did it. Discussions were initiated, opinions were asked for. A lot of the junta simply laughed at the idea, a few enthusiasts did egg me on; but the rest just kept quiet. And why wouldn't they - the reasons were many
Requirements? What were they? Well, as I put it forward to those who asked, I wanted to
Original Plan : So what was suggested and initially agreed upon was this route - Day 1 : Pune - Sankeshwar - Sawantwadi - Goa Day 2 : Goa Day 3 : Goa - Karwar - Hubli - Tumkur - Bangalore Day 4 : Bangalore Day 5 : Bangalore - Krishnagiri - Vellore - Chennai Day 6/7/8 : Chennai (Optional trip to Pondicherry) Day 9 : Chennai - Vellore - Krishnagiri - Bangalore Day 10 : Bangalore - Belgaum - Kolhapur - Pune Estimated Distance : 2500+ kms  Planned Route Actual Travel Plan : So did I stick to it? Of course not  Last minute changes, on the run detours and a few other external factors ensured that I stick to the route only when I don't have another feasible option or due to the lack of time.The route that was taken: Day 1 : Pune - Sankeshwar - Sawantwadi - Goa Day 2 : Goa Day 3 : Goa - Karwar - Kumta - Siddapur - Shimoga - Tumkur - Dobbspot - Hoskote Day 4 : Hoskote - Mulbagal - Chittor - Vellore - Chennai Day 5/6/7/8 : Chennai Day 9 : Chennai - Vellore - Krishnagiri - Bangalore Day 10 : Bangalore - Belgaum - Kolhapur - Pune Actual Distance : 2995 kms  What actually aspired Last edited by ninjatalli : 22nd July 2012 at 19:39. |
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22nd July 2012, 16:15
| #2 |
| Distinguished - BHPian | Facts & Figures Trip Statistics:
On the trivia matter, here's a few facts:
Trip Summary To Trip : A brief snapshot on the route opted while traveling from Pune to Chennai. The travel was spread over 4 days with two long halts at Goa (Candolim) and Bangalore (Hoskote). Thankfully I had a companion till Goa, but from there on I only had the car for company!  (Click to enlarge) Return Trip : In comparison, the return trip was quite shorter and fast. Contrary to the earlier part of the trip, I had a co-passenger to accompany me all till Pune. We did the customary halt at Bangalore at a friend's place and did the entire trip in 2 days.  (Click to enlarge) Speed Calculations : Numbers paint quite an interesting picture, don't they. But what they don't tell you is that the driver drove the car pretty much the same manner, however external (& natural) factors are the cause of difference in the average speed figures. More on this later as we go through the travelogue!  Fuel Calculations : No points for guessing, fuel was cheapest in Goa. However, it's a far cry from Delhi rates (40.90 INR) that I got to experience last year. Maybe I should have fueled once in Bangalore too, to get the KA figures too!   Route / Toll Calculations: A year back I had remarked on the Delhi trip that Maharashtra really makes you pay for the highways. Seems like Karnataka ain't that far too, with almost similar cost per km! However what I discovered over this trip is the state highways are the absolute VFM options. Find a route that has decent roads, and not that much traffic, and you have literally stuck gold! As I did during this trip!   Only NH/GQ highways had tolls, none of the state highways had tolls Last edited by ninjatalli : 22nd July 2012 at 16:39. |
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22nd July 2012, 16:40
| #3 |
| Distinguished - BHPian | Phase 1 : Pune - Goa Day 1 Route  Distance : 454 kms Time Taken : 8 hours The original plan was to wake up and leave by 5 a.m. But then, as most travel plans always turn out, we ended up starting a bit late. So 7 a.m. it was. The car was d.i.r.t.y - had planned to give it a wash the previous night but last minute work made sure that I couldn't even take it to any nearby car-wash! Thanks to Anoop & Rohan, I had taken care of the other formality checks for the car earlier and so without wasting too much time, we loaded up the luggage and moved out! I take a picture of the car just before moving out, however I fail to note that the camera was out of focus!  Well to give myself some credit, both of us were still a bit groggy and we badly needed a hot cup of tea. And I had the perfect spot in mind - Shriram Best Vadapav Center!  Never heard of it? Well it's about time you did! <rant alert> Most hotels in Maharashtra make lousy tea - they literally put heaps of sugar making it as sweet as sharbat - not the tea one prefers early in the morning. But not this place! If I could mention one good thing about this place, it's the awesome tea! Their menu might not have that much variety nor do they have that great a service. But in terms of simple tapri wala breakfast, I haven't found a better one on this highway! Pros : Good food, cheap, fast service, excellent tea Cons : Lousy restrooms, always crowded, open tapri-style shop  Check out the crowd at this joint! The tea might have woken me up, but I still fail to notice that the camera settings were quite screwed up - as a result you'll have to put up with some over-processed pictures! Looking back, we should have made the most of the distance at that stage - Pune city was still to wake up and the roads were relatively empty. But once we passed Shirwal, there was this huge amount of vehicular traffic that just kept on coming and coming. As we bypass Satara, we soon come to face the first toll that has a non-zero denomination fee - 58Rs. Unfortunately, I don't have 8 Rs change, and as expected I get two toffees. Not in a mood to argue, I move on. A few kms ahead, I soon come again to the next toll, again the fee being 58Rs. But now I have the required change - in coins and toffees! I gleefully hand over the toffees back to this fellow, and he accepts! It literally takes me over 2.5 hours to reach Kolhapur - generally I have been able to do this distance in less than 2 hours, after which the roads improve and so does the traffic. Out comes the camera and I take a few snaps of the surroundings.  Presenting to you our latest attraction - driver cum photographer The traffic is now mainly composed of a few MH & KA cars, and a few trucks and buses going on their normal speeds. What I find weird and a bit surprising is the decent number of bikes on the highway - all having the same common aspect - no helmets!  In a short while we soon reach reach the Karnataka border, and somehow the road starts to feel a lot better and smoother. And if the traffic was reduced earlier, now it's literally gone. All I can see is (literally) empty roads!  Empty KA roads with the occasional vehicle  And then there were none!  More and more empty roads I up the speed and soon I'm overtaking the odd Sumos and Swifts as if they were literally stationary.  The road-side scenery is just too beautiful to miss. Ideally I would have preferred to stop over and take some wonderful snaps. However we had this plan to reach Goa by lunch (which we didn't!) and so I had to keep on going.  Pretty soon, we pass by Nipani - contrary to a lot of threads out here, I prefer not to use this route. I always have opted for the Sankeshwar - Sawantwadi route in the past, and I had planned to do the same for this trip. Anyway, it didn't matter that much - as both the routes later merge into one.   It is at this point I start noticing this GJ-based Innova who's literally racing with me. Which is kind of stupid, simply because the road is almost empty! But again and again he races and overtakes me, and then goes slow and allows me to overtake him; just to repeat the whole process again!  Anyone recognize that reg no? So I decide to stop over at a restaurant (Hotel Sai Food Mall) and have a cup of tea. Even though it was close to 12, we weren't hungry so after a short break we decide to continue forward. Pros : Decent toilets Cons : Zero crowd = no guarantee on food quality  Meanwhile I finally discover the (screwed-up) settings of the SLR and correct it.   A feeble attempt at trying out with the "improved" camera settings Last edited by ninjatalli : 24th July 2012 at 22:25. |
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22nd July 2012, 19:24
| #4 |
| Distinguished - BHPian | Phase 1 : Pune - Goa So we start off from the hotel and move on. Ironically, we had already reached Sankeshwar, however I finally get to understand that only after I cross this small river, all thanks to GoogleMaps baba!  If you are seeing this, then you too have gone ahead of Sankeshwar I turn around and (like most idiots on the highway) go back the last kilometer on the wrong side to reach the underpass to catch SH 134 - Sankeshwar Gadhinglaj road.  This is what you'll see if (like me) you are heading from Bangalore side  The road towards Sankeshwar village/town  This is what you'll see if you are heading from Pune side Immediately the first thing I note is the road quality deteriorates. Of course, we are now on a state highway, and one that is on the border between Karnataka and Maharashtra. Having said that, it is still good enough for sedans, and maintaining good speeds. But what makes this road worth going are the beautiful trees lined up on both sides. All along the road, without fail. As a kid I used to remember highways like these - single/two lane roads lined with huge trees on both sides. Thankfully, we still have some of these across the highways.  Meanwhile we also hit a minor landmark, one of many that will be passed on this trip. I toggle the MID to check the mileage figures, it's hovering around 17 only.  The route is lovely with hardly any traffic and a small number of village folks going about their work. And then I get to see this - kids on cycles probably going to (or coming from) school! I try to remember when was the last time I had seen kids on bicycles - I can't recollect any! The nearest thought that comes to me is of my office colleagues/friends remarking to me on how they have to drop their kids before coming to office. I hope these guys don't lose this lovely habit!  We soon pass the small but busy town of Gadhinglaj - it's around lunch and the town is abuzz with people! Finally the sun comes out, and I stopover to take a few snaps of the surroundings.   And not too soon. Within minutes of me stopping, the weather makes a complete u-turn! And it starts pouring! The first rains that we experience on this trip. And sadly the only rains I experience for the next 1400 kms!  Do note the jack-fruit for sale on the right bottom corner Soon we lose contact with the civilized world and enter forest cover - admist the rains, it makes a lovely drive. We pass the occasional ST bus or a truck, otherwise the road is almost empty. At several points there are these heap(s) of jackfruits lined up - probably being sourced from the forest area. I almost decide to stop-over and buy one but sadly decide not to. Finally we make another temporary stop to catch a few snaps of the beautiful forest cover, and of course with the lady.   Finally we come to well-known (to me atleast) junction which indicates that the village of Amboli is near, and with that the Amboli ghats too. Do note the left route at the junction connects directly to Belgaum. I haven't been on that route, but I hear the road is decent enough. Right at the junction there is a chai tapri and we decide to have a cuppa. As it is, our next stop for the coming two days would be Goa, where I doubt if we'll be even drinking water, leave alone tea!  And a few odd kms away, we come face to face with the beaut-i-ful Amboli ghats. Even without rains, the view is a sight for sore eyes!  Just then a green figo passes by - perfectly complementing the green hills. I couldn't have asked for a better picture!  Now in the above picture at the extreme right side, do you see a waterfall? This is that waterfall.  Ok, not that one but one of the many that adorn these ghats. I remember discovering these falls some 7 years ago when I came via this route for the first time - then they were quite un-touched. You could spend a complete day out here and hardly have any junta around. Not the situation currently - almost every stream/fall had people taking bath and enjoying with their friends and families. Talk about population explosion, I say! And why wouldn't anyone? The view on the opposite side of the road is stunning! I only hope Pawar and group (a.k.a. Lavasa) don't come prancing out this side thinking of opening another resort out here!   And with a final (customary) shot of the lady, I begin to move ahead when suddenly my old friend is back!  Oh, not these ol' friends! I meant the GJ-based silver Innova! Somehow, inspite of me taking a break at Sankeshwar and not encountering him for the last 150 kms, we meet up again.But this time I had the upper hand - clearly my Vento was a far better handler on the ghats than his Innova! Or so I thought. The next 20+ kms down the Amboli ghat was nothing short of a spirited drive. And he keeps following me keeping pace without fail, which is quite stupid and dangerous on his part. However fast or slow I drive, I still follow a few simple rules; slow down at blind curves, honk at ever turn, and overtake if and only if there is a clear line of sight ahead (with no on-coming vehicles). Which my Innova friend was blatantly forgetting to do. Thankfully we both come out of the ghat sections in one piece, and bored of the "race" I slow down and let him go ahead. Shortly we reach Sawantwadi around 2; and by now the hunger pangs have alread begun. Thankfully the drive to Candolim takes us only an additional hour and we reach the hotel by 3; hungry, but in one piece. Last edited by ninjatalli : 25th July 2012 at 21:53. |
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27th July 2012, 17:57
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| Team-BHP Support   | |
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27th July 2012, 18:57
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| BHPian  Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Hyderabad
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27th July 2012, 19:54
| #7 |
| BHPian  Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Sydney/Kolkata
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| Re: A Trip Down South : Pune - Goa - Bangalore - Chennai As usual in your inimitable style the much awaited travelogue starts unfolding itself making us hungry for the rest. How do you manage to get so much time off. I mean when I was there it used to be pretty hectic for me all the time or is it me that I attract unwanted work like flies to honey  . Yeah I have factored in "work from home" too. Don't forget the "work" part in that. Superb start, bring the rest on soon. |
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28th July 2012, 10:48
| #8 |
| Senior - BHPian  Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: MH42
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28th July 2012, 11:36
| #9 |
| Distinguished - BHPian | Phase 2 : Goa - Bangalore Day 2 Route  Distance : 662 kms Time taken : 10.5 hours After two lovely days in Goa, which felt woefully woefully inadequate, we finally began on the road towards Bangalore. The only silver lining - the beautiful drive on the Konkan ghats that I was going to enjoy all day! I drop off a friend at Dabolim airport after having a short brunch at an Udipi restaurant and head on towards South Goa. Surprisingly even after having been to Goa atleast over 8 times, I have never been south of Madgaon. It is literally untouched territory for me. And boy, am I amazed or what!  Smooth silky roads with meager traffic and wonderful cool winds - I couldn't have asked for a better atmosphere for a long drive. Within a short while, I have reached Canacona, a small town more better known for the beautiful Palolem beach.  The view opposite Canacona town, the other side obviously being the beach(es) This place also marks the start of the Konkan ghat section. Parallel to the highway the Konkan railway also keeps along, the occasional train adding to the natural beauty.  Prior to this trip, I always thought the Amboli ghat section would be the best stretch of natural beauty. I couldn't be more mistaken! The stretch between Canacona and Ankola (via Karwar) is an amazingly stunning sketch of all the natural elements in their best possible avatar!
I can't stop myself stopping over and taking a few pictures. I am so much over this place I call up Gautam and literally make him curse me for not include him for this trip (for the record, I certainly did!)     Finally I get myself back on the road and continue ahead. It's already 2, and I still have close to 600 kms to go but I only have around 4 to 5 hours of daylight available. More than driving in the night, the possibility of missing such beautiful sights while traveling in the night gives me the jeebees! So I move on. On a comparative note finally the road keeps getting more (for lack of a better word  ) "normal" and I am finally able to move on to 3 digit speeds. "Normal" it might be yet it was nothing short of beautiful Very soon I'm at the Goa - Karnataka border. Passing through the Goa post is a breeze, the guys at the post literally don't give any notice to cars entering Karnataka. But it's the other post I'm worried about; considering I had two biggies in the boot! Then I get the shock of my life - they just give a glance at my number plate and ask me to move on!I can't believe this - I had got out all my car documents (and a few notes in my purse) ready, expecting to be troubled/nagged for the "stuff" in the boot! But no! Nothing of the sort happens. I move a bit ahead and stop-over. By now curiosity has taken over me - I need to find out what triggered the pass-by. Unfortunately I don't have any connections to any big-shot out here (even though I wish I did) ensuring I have a clear pass-through, so I wait.  And I wait Soon a maroon MH-27 Swift comes by the checkpost and he's given the go-ahead too. But a blue KA Ritz following him is stopped immediately and asked to park at the side. Out of no-where three guys appear and start going through the car, the trunk and even under the bonnet!  And then it clicks - the MH number plate. Somehow, for some weird reasons, Maharashtra number plates are not checked at the Karnataka posts, while KA and GA plates are given the full check-up! I wonder if the reverse is true at the Maharashtra check-post too. I get moving along and very soon I enter the beautiful city of Karwar. The city of Karwar has a lovely entrance, two towering cliffs mark the entry to a bridge over the backwaters with the sea right there!  The entrance to Karwar city  A snapshot of the bridge I so fell in love with this city - if there are any tbhpians based from this city, wow guys! You need to advertise your city far more!  The drive on NH17 right beside the sea I stop the car just outside the Karwar port and take a few pot shots at the few fishermen out on the sea. Although it is not raining, the sea isn't surely all quiet. But these guys seem to be having a good day out there.    Karwar port With that I look again at the time - it's almost three! Alarm bells start ringing in the background! It's very clear I am not going to stick with my original timelines with all these "photo-breaks". But I'm not complaining, my only regret I should have started out early in the morning or possibly planned a night-halt somewhere on the coast. Last edited by ninjatalli : 28th July 2012 at 12:03. |
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28th July 2012, 12:20
| #10 | ||||
| Distinguished - BHPian | Re: A Trip Down South : Pune - Goa - Bangalore - Chennai Quote:
Quote:
This from a guy who has just done a trip to Leh!  Thanks boss!Dude, even I get an itch on looking at my own pics, so much I'm already discussing with another tbhpian about another trip next month! Although i'm not sure if I have the office leaves left! Quote:
Honestly I didn't have many free days. I was working till 1 the previous night before I left Pune, and I had to work all three days at Chennai (the Pondicherry/other trips in TN had to be cancelled because of the work)! Well, I guess you win some, you lose some! Quote:
That's one grouse I have against "us" Indians - at any (waterfall) tourist spot it doesn't take us much time to undress and get into the water without giving consideration how bad it looks on the outside. But I doubt if we have a solution to this. And sorry boss, don't have many pics of Goa. The camera was mostly used for our group activities and hardly touched for local scenery. Have the below three shots - hope that satisfies your request  Our hotel beach-shack  The raging seat at Candolim beach  A night-time view of Taj Agoda Last edited by ninjatalli : 28th July 2012 at 12:22. | ||||
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28th July 2012, 14:33
| #11 | ||
| BHPian Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Hyderabad
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| Re: A Trip Down South : Pune - Goa - Bangalore - Chennai Quote:
 Anyway where are you planning. Let me see if I can join. Quote:
Last edited by GTO : 30th July 2012 at 20:45. Reason: No more than 2 smilies per post please | ||
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28th July 2012, 15:26
| #12 |
| Senior - BHPian  Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Kolkata
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| Re: A Trip Down South : Pune - Goa - Bangalore - Chennai SUPERB !!  I prevented myself from reading this during weekdays as I wanted to do a leisurely read over the weekend |
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28th July 2012, 16:44
| #13 |
| BHPian  Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Mumbai
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28th July 2012, 17:26
| #14 | ||
| Distinguished - BHPian | Re: A Trip Down South : Pune - Goa - Bangalore - Chennai Quote:
Wassup - you back on duty? Do tell if you are planning on any offroading trips in the coming days. Quote:
Will try to put up as much as time permits! | ||
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28th July 2012, 18:02
| #15 |
| BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Mumbai
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