DAY 3 - 20 NOV 2010 - SATURDAY
My Linea had an early morning bath at Oritel Serviced Apartments. We had delicious and sumptuous breakfast and checked out of Oritel by 9:00 am. I took the Western Expessway and joined NH 8 in the midst of heavy traffic. My MapMyIndia Lx 130 navigator guided me properly all the way to Ahmedabad.
Here are the highlights of Mumbai - Ahmedabad trip:
* How did we come to know that we entered Gujarat on NH 8? The moment, we were surrounded by big multi-axled heavy vehicles, chemcial tankers and trucks that outnumbered all other categories of vehicles, then we sure did.
Somewhere in Gujarat,
Cara Mia Fiat Linea completed 10,000 km!
* Gujarat is the only state that successfully enforces total prohibition. So, no bars, no arrack shops, no pubs on NH 8! Similarly, we found good vegetarian eateries that outnumbered mixed fare joints all along the NH 8.
* Most of the drivers of multi-axled heavy vehicles and trucks were well-mannered gentlemen to the core as compared to their counterparts in south India. The moment they saw my Linea in their rear-view mirrors, immediately they used to go to the left lane and give way to my Linea!
I experienced this all along NH 8 in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan. Getting way from these big brothers, notwithstanding constant honking or flashing high beams, is next to impossible in south India! Invariably, I used to overtake these big brothers from the left only! But not in MH, GJ and RJ!
* I read various posts about perennial traffic pile-up while crossing the Narmada river bridge. But, I didn't face any traffic pile-up while crossing the Narmada bridge. It was a smooth drive albeit with reduced speed.
Smooth sailing over Narmada river bridge - no traffic jam at all.
* After crossing the Narmada bridge, we drove to BP COCO retail outlet at Luvara, on NH 8, just opposite a Gurdwara. My Linea and its occupants had stomachful at the vegetarian Ghar Dhaba. The food was finger-licking and tasty. The tea was simply superb. The toilets were clean. The unleaded petrol cost Rs 56.05 per litre. I decided to have a stop-over here during my return trip.
* The NH 8 was being widened from 4 lanes to 6 lanes all along from Mumbai to Surat by M/s IRB Infrastructure Developers Ltd. Although, many diversions were there, all diversions were well-asphalted, well-barricaded with good signages, resulting in dust-free diversions. There was no traffic jam in any of these diversions in the up journey. However, there was a traffic pile-up for more than two hours in the return trip!
* There was heavy traffic jam at Vadodara. Later, I enjoyed driving on Vadodara - Ahmedabad NE1.
By the time we checked in at Ginger Ahmedabad, it was 7:00 pm. After refreshing, we went for a stroll at the nearby Himalaya Mall. Then, we drove to Gordhan Thal to taste authentic Gujarati food. But, alas, it was closed, weekly holiday, it seemed. Then, we dined at nearby Hotel Dasaprakash. Yes, the same Dasaprakash of Mysore/Chennai. Then, we returned to Ginger and enjoyed well-deserved sound sleep.
More on the pipeline.