t was an amazing experience getting this beauty of a car on the highway and through the ghats. No signs of exhaustion or body pain after travelling 411 km in the day.

BHPian Voltzzzzz recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

A long trip is just what is needed to get understand a car. And what better than a drive to Goa. Even better via the long beautiful coast of Karnataka.

So since we got home our new green ride, The MG Windsor in October, we were itching to go on a long ride. The car by design is made for comfortable family rides albeit the smaller battery pack which restricts its true potential. It was supposed to be our easy city ride but excitement made us take it on a 550 km trip to Bekal the second day we got it for our anniversary celebrations. Boy did the kids and the lady love it??!! Later it became our go to option for our frequent trips to Bangalore (~140km) and even Hassan (~120km). Our beloved Ecosport, which was supposed to be the default car for intercity travel, has now been assigned the second car duties.

The Planning:

On a lazy day in January, one of our close friends invited us to his brother's wedding in Goa. Me and my wife didn't want to miss it but it needed a lot of planning as the wedding was on a Sunday with reception running late into the Sunday night. That meant we had to take leave on Monday too!!!. At the same time it occurred to both of us - This is it!!! This is our EV adventure trip.

Planning the route, I kept looking at the chargers available along the way, Mysore - Sira (Charge at Paakashala) - Davangere (Charge at Kahaani) - Hubli ( Charge at Shell) - Charge at Static charger after Dharwad if needed or just drive down to the destination in Margao anyway we are going down the ghat. I was considering a range of 200 to be on safer side unless it is the last leg of the trip. Basic planning was done with respect to charging the car and reaching the destination but I had to make it more specific to match our food breaks.
There were plenty of chargers along the way except for the drive from Hubli/Dharwad to Madgaon. Still ~20 days was left for the trip but we were confident of doing the trip.

One day while checking out the route on Google Maps to plan the food breaks I wondered why not give the boring 4/6 lane highway a miss and take a more exciting route along Mangalore and coastal Karnataka. Wow!!!!. We also had a long pending wish to visit the Kateel and other temples along the coast. Now there was lot more excitement and meaning to this trip but it also added a different level of challenge with respect to limited charging options, hilly terrain, more driving time and distance. Looking for chargers there was no issue in Mangalore. Kundapura and Honnavar had JioBP chargers. There was a Chargezone also in Honnavar. But the 2-3days before the trip while checking out the chargers I found both the JioBP and Chargezone in Honnavar down that whole evening. I figured out probably it was due to power outage. The challenge was from Kundapura to Madgaon the distance was 240-250km. That was too close for comfort but doable. It also meant that we would have no charge left to roam in Goa without charging again first All the time i was worried not to push the car beyond 200km between two chargers. I told myself we will charge at Kundapura to 100% and then proceed. If the charger at Honnavar is functional then good or else we will take chance on driving along depending on the range the car would have given till then. If in doubt anytime then cancel everything and return back from Honnavara happy with just the trip to the coast.

Itinerary:

Leave Mysore at 4pm on 7th feb (Friday) reach Mangalore by 11pm. Distance of 256km. So top up at Purple resorts in Kushalnagar for 15 min to be on safer side.

Mangalore (Charge to 100% at Nexus mall) to Kateel and then Udupi for breakfast. Reach Kundapur and charge to 100%. Go to Kolluru and Idugunji and reach Honnavara to charge. If charger is functional, charge, have lunch and proceed to Goa or else return to Kundapur, Charge to 100% again and proceed to Goa. (We had to keep a track on the charger at Honnavar all along the way via JioBp app for any signs of outages and modify the trip). Return trip would be a single day dash from Goa to Mysore on 10th Feb (Monday), charging along the way.

The Trip:

With butterflies in the stomach we did the packing. I left for work on 7th morning promising my wife that i will come back on time to start our journey at 4pm. Kids would stay back in Mysore with my parents. As luck would have it that day was particularly busy and I reached home at 5pm!! Plans going awry before the trip itself?. With spirits high we finally left home at 5.30pm on our small wild ride, ready to face any challenges that come up along the way.

Day 1, Friday Feb 7th 2025:

We left Mysore with 96% SOC (Odo 4464 km) and reached Purple resorts in Kushalnagara at 7.45pm with SOC 70% (Odo 4555km). Zeon charger with 25kwh capacity. Had hiccups in initiating the charge for ~15-20min!!. Called the customer service and the charger connected. Ate the dinner we had bought along sitting inside while the car charged and we finally left towards Mangalore at 8.40pm with 99%SOC. We were well behind our schedule and expected to reach Mangalore well past 12am.

By the time we reached Madikeri the SOC had dropped to 89%. 23km covered for 10% of charge, 230km of range. Not great. But we shouldnt have issues to reach Mangalore.
After Madikeri we start going down the Ghat and lo behold the superpower of Regen kicked in. By the time we reached Sulia the car had got charged to 93%!!!!. We reached Mangalore at 12.30am with 58% SOC!!!

162 km covered from Kushalnagar to Mangalore using 41% of charge!!. We went straight to bed not worrying about SOC.

The road all along was very good except for the last stretch near Mangalore. The drive till Madikeri was irritating due to heavy traffic and glaring lights from oncoming vehicles. Once past Madikeri it was a bliss to drive.

Day 2, Saturday Feb 8th 2025:

We checked out of the room at 7am and proceeded towards Kateel. With SOC of 58% (Odo 4717km) we didn't bother charging in Mangalore.  Reached Kateel at 7.40 am had darshan and now change of plans. We proceeded to Moodbidri to visit Alvas, my wife's college and also met her niece who is studying there now. Finally left Moodbidri at 9.30am to reach Hotel K1 at Bhramari, ~15-20km before Udupi to have breakfast and charge the car (JioBP).  It was a paid charging session there costing me Rs 539 for 22.8 Kw. SOC from 30% to 82% (Odo 4801) completed at 11.05am.

We quickly proceeded to Kundapura reaching there at 11.05am. With us still being vary of charging station at Honnavar, we topped up from 60 to 91% (Odo at 4852km) at Kundapura ( Shreyas inn, JioBP, cost Rs. 267) and proceeded to Kolluru.

Ideally i wanted to charge to 100% but due to time constraint charged just enough to return to Kundapur from Honnavar if things didnt work out. From here we had to still cover Kolluru and Idugunji. We were racing against time now since temple at Kolluru closes at 1.30pm.

Reached Kolluru in time at 1.15pm!!! Finished darshan and proceeded to Honnavar for lunch.

Decided to skip Idugunji and cover it while returning so that we can reach Goa early. Had lunch at Sagar Residency in Honnavara while the car was juiced up to 100% from 49% (Odo 4974). Again JioBp charger and it cost me Rs 526 for 22.3Kwh. Had amazing Prawn Ghee roast with Kulcha.

Left Honnavara at 4.20pm and come across some very scenic roads, bridges and tunnels while passing across Ankola and Karwar. We were in time to witness the sunset along the way with the highway going close to the sea at many places.

An enjoyable drive till we reached the narrow roads of Goa after Canacona from where we proceeded at snails pace in bumper to bumper traffic till Madgaon. We reached Nanutel hotel at 7.45pm with SOC of 55%!! and 5128km on Odo.

It was an amazing experience getting this beauty of a car on the highway and through the ghats. No signs of exhaustion or body pain after travelling ~411 km in the day visiting places along the way. We immediately proceeded to Benaulim beach to catch up with our friends. It was only once we had dinner at Johncy's that we realised how sleepy we were. Reached back to hotel, had a Cup of coffee and we were done.

Day 3, Sunday Feb 9th 2025:

Lazy morning. Had breakfast at the hotel and left for Madgaon market. Not satisfied we then went to Colva beach for some shopping in the hot sun. The Wedding was at 5pm and Reception would start from 7.30pm. So we still had almost 5hrs and hence decided to go for a Spa at the Tattva in Courtyard by Marriot close to Colva beach. We got an appointment at 2.30pm and then proceeded to Martin's corner for lunch.

The food and ambience at Martin's was just amazing. By the time we finished lunch and Spa it was almost 4pm. Now remember we have not the charged the car since we last did it at Honnavara. So decided to go to ITC Grand where there is a Static charger. The surprising thing about this charger is that it doesn't show up on eHub by Mg or on Plugshare. We charged the car to 100% from 37% (Odo 5171km) free of cost while we walked around the property.

The surroundings at the charger were bad with no sense of concern for cars coming in to charge.

In our quest for free charging we ended up wasting ~40min here. Instead there was a private 30Kw charger at our hotel itself but they were charging 25rs /Kw!!. We had to miss the actual church wedding as we were tired roaming in the sun. Freshened up and showed up to the wonderful reception where all the fun was at 8pm. Close to 12am we decided to call it a day, reached back to hotel, had a cup of coffee and hit the bed.

Day 4, Monday Feb 10th 2025:

Slowly we pushed ourselves out of the bed and left the hotel at 7am with 85% SOC, Odo 5213km. We had a long day ahead of us where we were going to cover ~600km. Wifey took the first turn at the wheels till we reached Honnavara for breakfast and the charging. We reached there at 9.52am with 32% SoC, ODo 5365km. We juiced up to 98% here at the cost of Rs 672 (28.5Kwh). Took about 40 min for the charge, enough time to have breakfast and a small photo session.

With sun beating down heavily we proceeded to Idugunji and had darshan of Lord Ganesha. Picked the memento for the trip here. A small figurine of the divine diety Lord Ganesha, who will accompany us in all our future road trips.

We hadn't planned much for this return trip. Idugunji was missed during the onward journey. Also how can we miss the beautiful Marvanthe beach.!!! So that was our next stop for another photo session. All the while the sun was shining in all its glory. Thank god for the Sun films I had got installed just before the trip. Without them we would have got roasted inside the Windsor with all its glass area.

Now to complete the trip we had to have lunch in Mangalore while the car was getting charged. But we would reach there only at 3.30pm when all famous restaurants closed. So instead we made the stop at the 'Shetty's Lunch Home' in Kundapura. Supposedly the place where Chicken Ghee roast was invented. Feasted on amazing Prawn Ghee Roast and Fish meals with parboiled rice.

We slowly realised we will again be driving upto Midnight to reach our destination. Nonstop drive would have taken 12hrs. But we had already taken a detour to Idugunji, stopped at Marvanthe Beach and for Lunch at Kundapura. Still a final charging session was pending in Mangalore. We reached Mangalore by 4.30pm. Hooked the car unto the Static charger in Nexus mall and went up for coffee. We expected to leave Mangalore by 5.30pm and reach Mysore by 11.30pm. Plans are meant to fail right. The Static charger had a mind of its own. It kept getting disconnected. Atleast 3 times. By 5.30pm the car had just charged to 80%. Not enough to reach Mysore. I finally bit the bullet and shifted the car to JioBP charger that was just next to it. 100% done and we left by 6pm.

The last leg of 256km Mangalore to Mysore was a drive up the ghats. Would the juice in the car be enough?? Once up the ghats there were options in Madikeri and Kushalnagara for charging in case we fall short. Till I reached the climb, the car was returning an expected range of 300km. But the 16km of ghat road consumed ~1km/1% of charge. Can we reach Mysore without stopping for a short top up charge?. We reached Kushalnagara with still 43% charge left. Another distance of 91 km to be covered. we decided to take chance and drove straight to Mysore and reached home with 8% SOC (Odo 5818km) at 12.15am!!!. Doing Mangalore to Mysore in a single charge was a challenge in itself and surprisingly we did it !!!.

This brought our crazy road trip to an end. The trip ended with a sense of satisfaction about our decision to go green with Windsor.

On the last day we covered a distance of ~605km. The entire trip covering 1375km with an average range of 305km per full charge.

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We drove down to the city in our car just to have a meal at a very specific cafe that my brother told us about.

BHPian ashis89 recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

A dinner at Moorthy Cafe

After returning from Hyderabad on Wednesday, I did a quick 800 km weekend trip to Pondicherry-Chidambaram and back.

My co-brother has spent a lot of his childhood in Chidambaram. The foodies that we family are, he has always told us stories about Moorthy Cafe, a small restaurant in the town which is heaven for the taste buds. So much so that when me and my wife had been to Tranquebar in 2023, we took a detour to Chidambaram to have lunch there. Alas, the place was closed on the day we went and we were left disappointed. Then brother suggested that we go over a weekend to check out Moorthy Cafe. That plan had been brewing over months and regularly stirred up by him. It was brought up again last week and we all took the plunge. Booked a night's stay in Pondy (the family wanted a visit to the French town as well) on Friday and we were set to start on Saturday.

Picked up my brother and family by 7AM and we left. Per Google's suggestion, we took the Sarjapur-Attibelle road and then Krisnagiri-Tiruvannamalai-Gingee-Tindivanam-Pondicherry. One breakfast break at Murugan Idli and then we reached White Town by 1PM. After a rather heavy breakfast, we chose to skip lunch and retired for a quick afternoon nap.

Street parking in White Town. Feels good to be able to see your car from your room

The hotel was setup at an old French building and had some interesting furniture

Most buildings around have a similar minimalistic and yet beautiful look

Then started again at 4:30PM for Chidambaram. We took the new road which bypasses Cuddalore and it was a smooth drive. First, we went to the Thillai Nataraja temple. We were right on time and got to witness the evening arati. Then we spent some more time there before stepping out.

Then at 7:30PM we went to Moorthy Cafe. The place is near the West gate of the temple and a 5-minute drive. Having arrived early, I was expecting it to be empty but boy was I wrong! Most of the tables were occupied and by 8PM, the place was packed.

Finally!

The local boy placed all the orders and the rest of us just waited in anticipation. Kadhai Chicken, full fried chicken pakoda, Fish 65, parotta and some brownie later, we are converts now. That driving down for a meal at Moorthy Cafe is one of the best ways to spend the weekend!

The Kadhai chicken and the parotta combo were too good!

Just too full, drove back to Pondy and reached by 10:20PM. While everyone crawled into the beds, I walked over to the beach nearby and spent half an hour strolling along it.

End of day 1

Street smart!

Next morning, woke up leisurely and got ready. After checking out and loading our bags in the car, we walked down to the Arulmigu Manakula Vinayagar temple. After returning, we had some of the famous hibiscus tea, the lemon paneer soda and then drove away.

For lunch, we couldn't figure out a good option on the way and ended up entering Tiruvannamalai to dine at Darling Namma Veedu restaurant. It was late, my nephew was hungry and impatient. And yet when we reached the place, there was a huge queue of people waiting for a table. 20 mins later, we got a table, 35 mins later we got our meals, biryani, sodas and ice cream. An hour and a half later, we were back on the road. Rear passengers were busy sleeping, brother was tracking the Ind-NZ match which I punched through the busy highway.

Last break was near Hosur, for some karupatti coffee, gulkand butter bun and rose milk. Retraced the Attibele-Sarjapur road again and reached home by 7PM after dropping off my brother's family.

One tankful of diesel had lasted from Shadnagar to Bangalore to Pondicherry, returning 18.32 kmpl over 835 kms. Next one is half used up after to & fro to Chidambaram and returning to Bangalore.

Sun was shining bright almost through the trip. Yet everyone sat and slept peacefully without any discomfort. Even walking into the car when it was parked under the sun for long, my wife could feel Coyote wasn't as hot/warm as she had expected. The verdict was unanimous, the film was an expensive investment but was doing an impressive job. I realized I could drive on a bright afternoon without desperately looking for my sunglasses. But I also felt my headlight to be weaker than earlier and a slight glare from oncoming traffic on single undivided roads. I am hoping to get used to it.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

As we drove through the highways, the excitement kept us energized. The Samruddhi Mahamarg, a 700 km-long expressway, helped us cover a major chunk of the distance quickly.

BHPian pratikpalkar17 recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Journey Overview:

1. Introduction
2. Preparation for the Trip
   • Medical Preparations
   • Car Preparation
   • Essential Tools and Equipment
3. The Journey Begins- Day 1: Mumbai to Jabalpur
4. Day 2: Jabalpur to Patna
5. Day 3: Patna to Siliguri
6. Day 4: Siliguri to Gangtok
7. Acquiring the Nathula Pass and Tsongmo Lake Permit
8. Exploring Gangtok
9. Return Journey: Gangtok to Mumbai
10. Total Expense Breakdown

Introduction:

Let us take you through our unforgettable journey of an 11-day, 5000 km road trip from Mumbai to Gangtok and back with my wife in our 2015 Ford Figo Diesel, covering five different states: Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Sikkim. This road trip was not just about reaching the destination but about experiencing different cultures, landscapes, and the thrill of driving long distances. From the smooth highways to the winding mountain roads, each part of the journey had something special to offer. In this travelogue, we will share our day-by-day experiences, the places we visited, and in the end, we will break down the total expenses of this trip so that you can plan your own adventure with ease.

Preparation for the Trip

Before setting off on such a long journey, we made sure to be fully prepared.

Medical Preparations

We visited our family doctor and got a list of essential medicines for motion sickness, altitude sickness, fever, headaches, and other possible health issues. Being prepared for the worst situation gave us confidence to take on the long drive.

Car Preparation

Since our Ford Figo was going to cover 5000 km, we ensured it was in top condition. We got the car serviced at the Ford service center where we always maintain it. During the service, we replaced the gear lever and gear knob due to some play in the mechanism. Other routine maintenance included an oil change, oil filter change, and a complete check of the brakes, tires, and suspension.  We also added special stickers on our car for this road trip, making it even more memorable. The stickers showcased our journey and added a personal touch to our adventure.

Essential Tools and Equipment

We packed a separate toolkit bag with all the necessary tools for emergencies. This included a car jack, puncture repair kit, portable tire inflator, wrench for removing and replacing tires, and some extra fuses. Having these essentials gave us peace of mind, knowing we could handle minor breakdowns on our own.

The Journey Begins: Day 1 Mumbai to Jabalpur

With our bags packed and our car fueled up, we set off early in the morning at 5 am with excitement. Our plan was to cover long distances each day while enjoying the journey. The first target was Jabalpur, about 1000 km away.

As we drove through the highways, the excitement kept us energized. The Samruddhi Mahamarg, a 700 km-long expressway, helped us cover a major chunk of the distance quickly. The smooth roads and less traffic made the drive enjoyable. As the night approached, we started feeling tired but pushed ourselves to reach Jabalpur.

• Distance covered: 1040 km
• Duration: 20 hours
• Stay: Hotel Polo Max, Jabalpur (INR 2,000)

We reached Jabalpur at around 1 AM. Tired but happy with our progress, we checked into a small hotel for a short rest. A quick nap of 4-5 hours was all we needed before setting off again the next morning.

Day 2: Jabalpur to Patna

• Distance covered: 700 km
• Duration: 16 hours
• Stay: Hotel Buddha International, Patna (INR 1,800)

Day 3: Patna to Siliguri

The next morning, we left Patna and made our way toward Siliguri. The drive was scenic, with lush green fields and tea plantations welcoming us to West Bengal. The roads were better, and the cool weather added to the joy of driving. In Siliguri, we took some time to enjoy the local food, including delicious Bengali fish curry and rice. We spent the night at a comfortable hotel, excited for the final stretch of our journey.

• Distance covered: 460 km
• Duration: 10 hours
• Stay: Hotel Royal Vanilla (INR 2,500)

Day 4: Siliguri to Gangtok

This was the day we had been waiting for! The drive from Siliguri to Gangtok was breathtaking. The winding mountain roads, the sight of the Teesta River flowing beside us, and the fresh mountain air made every kilometer worth it. Driving through the hilly terrain was challenging but fun. When we finally reached Gangtok, it felt like an achievement. The long journey had brought us to this peaceful hill town, and we couldn’t wait to explore it.

• Distance covered: 120 km
• Duration: 4 hours
• Stay: Club Mahindra Le Vintuna, Gangtok (4 nights Stay in Membership, Rs.13k spent on Spa, Food and Activities)

Nathula Pass and Tsongmo Lake Permit for Private Car

To visit Nathula Pass and Tsongmo Lake in our private car, we had to acquire special permits. The process required the following:

• The car should be registered under the driver's name.
• Car-related documents: RC book, Insurance, PUC, and driving license.
• The car should be 1500cc and above.
• Passport or Voter ID (Aadhar Card & PAN Card are not accepted)
• Two passport-sized photographs for each traveler.

We connected with Naran Dawari, a local tourist agent who helped us with permit process.
Exotic Sikkim Travels- 8918828627

Exploring Gangtok

We spent four wonderful days in Gangtok, visiting:

MG Marg: The lively center of the city.
Nathula Pass: A memorable trip to the Indo-China border.
Tsongmo Lake: A beautiful glacial lake.
Club Mahindra Property:A great place to relax and enjoy the scenic beauty.

Return Journey: Gangtok to Mumbai

After spending four days in Gangtok, it was time to head back. Our return journey followed the same route, with overnight stops in Siliguri, Patna, and Jabalpur.

Total Expense Breakdown:

• Total Distance Covered: 5080 km
• Total Diesel Consumed: 200 liters
• Diesel Cost (Avg. Rs. 93/Ltr): Rs. 18,600
• Total Spent on Toll: Rs. 7,300 (View toll details here)
• Total Spent in Hotels (6 days travel + 4 days in Gangtok): Rs. 30,000
• Nathula and Tsongmo Lake Permit: Rs. 5,000

Total Spent on Trip: Rs. 61,000

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After a hearty Gujarati breakfast, we headed towards Vadodara and then onto the old Vadodara-Ahmedabad highway.

BHPian TheVaas recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Journey to the West & Northwest India: A saga of 3 ADVs (Made in Japan, Germany and UK)

Disclaimer:

If you accidentally landed up here with no backstory, then I would like you to go through this post in my ownership thread- "Prep before a Ride" and bring yourself upto speed with this timeline! You can also go through my earlier ownership experience posts as well, if you liked what you read!

And if have already read my "Prepping for a road trip" post - which I ended on a cliffhanger - then please continue ahead!

Highly recommend you to continue further sipping your 'weapon of choice' beverage (non-alcoholic kind) for a smooth reading experience!

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"Alright, Alright, Alright!" - where were we?! Oh yes, in Mumbai traffic.

Amidst the incessant honking and swearing of fellow Mumbaikars in their vehicles around me, in dense traffic, Pawan’s voice kept echoing inside my well-insulated MT Helmet -

“Sir, I think we may need to re-think our upcoming trip! Will tell you the scene once you reach home!”

When you are touching 40 (years not kms), such voices only mean bad news (and/or sad news). And it also triggers your mind to overthink well beyond its normal RPM. I started to guilt-trip myself for being impatient with my ‘prepping for the ride’ service - when I could have still delayed it further, saved up money and lazed more - since now the trip is not happening, no? Anyway, as I said, managed to keep a cool mind by bringing down the ‘Overthinking RPMs’ and got home without any self harm.

Me: “What’s the scene? Don’t tell me you’re backing out?”

Pawan: “Backing out?! No way! In fact, I wanted to tell you that I’ve got a few more days off from my project. So now, instead of 2 days, I’ve got a week off!”

Me (feeling all the heavy weight leaving my body): “OH! So you are NOT backing out?”

Pawan (confused): “Where did I ever mention that I’m backing out?”

Me (opening his text message which mentioned that ‘…we may need to RE-THINK our trip…”): “I assumed…” (like I always do!)

Pawan: “So I’m thinking, since we’re anyway going to Kutch…Jaisalmer isn’t very far off…have you ever been that side?”

(Note for 80s kids: If you’ve ever seen ‘Mungerilal ke Haseen Sapne’, from the good old Doordarshan days, the next sequence will 100% help you visualise my state of mind!)

Me the moment I heard 'Jaisalmer'

On hearing ‘Jaisalmer’, the movie poster of the film ‘BORDER’ flashed in front of my eyes, with ‘Sandese Aate Hai’ playing in the background. Dialogs and visuals filled my entire mindspace…Sunny Deol with the bazooka, Suneil Shetty walking towards the tank with a landmine in his hand, Jackie Shroff’s thumbs up from the cockpit of his fighter jet…

Pawan’s voice : “Hello? Hello?”

Me (still in Border land, wondering who is saying these dialogues?): “Yes?”

Pawan: “Sir, lagta hai aaj black coffee zyaada pee liya hai?” (Sir, looks like you’ve had a lot of black coffee today?)

Me (back to reality and channeling my inner Sunny Deol): "CHALO JAISALMER!"

And that’s how ‘manifestations’ work! Having mentioned in my previous post as to how the months of September and October were ride-free and probably a ride plan was ‘lurking’ around - I’m sure the Universe might have a soft corner for us ‘big ADV bikers’! But then, dear old Sir Issac Newton probably had figured the Universe better than anyone else because “Every action has an equal and opposite reaction”; the reaction being Dominic and GC couldn’t join us for this ride because the dates were clashing with some prior commitments they had. So that was a bummer!

Before you folks can say “Zindagi ho toh aisi!” (What a life to lead!)- a few factors played in our favour to agree to this trip.

1. With Prerana and me being freelancers in the entertainment industry, post Diwali is a snooze time for us with absolutely zero work in the offing.
2. Western Rajasthan with its famed long highways, vast desert, proximity to the ‘border’ (no pun intended) and Marwar architecture on display was always on our wish-list
3. Honestly, we were missing the feeling of being on the road especially on our AT!
4. A reason to defy our supportive families and well-wishers when they go “Just buy a car and travel comfortably!”

Since we had approximately a week to go (Diwali was round the corner), a quick-fire itinerary called “Jashn-e-Kutch Jaisalmer" was made for Nov 2 to Nov 9. Quick-fire because we had been to Kutch in 2021, so this time decided to include places that we missed out on that trip and Pawan had been to Jaisalmer on numerous occasions (never on 2 wheels though) - so he added the ‘must see spots’ in that side of the country.

In parallel, during a meme-exchange session on Insta DM, KK (a fellow ADVenger and owner of a well-kept 2016 Triumph Tiger 800 XCA) randomly mentioned to me that he was going to be stationed in Ahmedabad for some work, right around the dates of this trip (Nov 2nd to 9th). He enquired if we were planning any rides and I sent him the itinerary. He had visited Kutch in 2024, so he decided to skip that portion and decided to join us for the Jaisalmer leg. The plan was he would impress his boss by winding up his Ahmedabad chapter earlier than expected and use the buffer days to travel to Jaisalmer. Now that’s what I call “Zindagi Ho Toh Aisi”

So before we embark on the new journey, sharing a few select moments from our previous “Kutch trip (Nov 2021)” (Will be used as a comparison reference later!)
(Note: This trip was done on our Triumph Tigers / Pawan on his 800XCx and we on our 800XRx)

Mandatory tourist pic (though we didn't stay here!)

Tigers at The White Rann (this is a full moon night picture!)

Same spot but in daylight!

Harappa-MohenjoDaro World Heritage Site

Tigers at FOSSIL PARK, Dholavira

Chipper's point, Dholavira

"Why should boys have all the fun? "

Vaanki village

NOT the Road to Heaven

ITINERARY: Or Something Like it!

Since KK was going to join us for the Jaisalmer leg, we decided to divide the itinerary into two phases:

PHASE ONE: KUTCH (November 2nd to 5th, 2024)

• DAY 1 - Nov 2: Mumbai - Vaanki
• DAY 2 - Nov 3: Vaanki - Temple Visit - Bhuj Museum - Khadiya Dro Canyon - Vaanki
• DAY 3 - Nov 4: Vaanki - Mundra (for shopping) - Bhuj - Road To Heaven - Vaanki 
• DAY 4 - Nov 5: Vaanki - Jaisalmer

PHASE TWO: JAISALMER (November 5th to 9th, 2024)

• DAY 1 - Nov 6: Jaisalmer - Ramdevra Temple - Jaisalmer War Museum - SAM Dunes
• DAY 2 - Nov 7: SAM Dunes - Tanot Mata Mandir + Indo-Pak Border - Longewala War Museum - SAM Dunes
• DAY 3 - Nov 8: SAM Dunes - Kuldhara Ghost Village - Jaisalmer Fort - Bada Bagh - Gadisar Lake - Jaisalmer
• DAY 4 - Nov 9: Jaisalmer - Ahmedabad (Pure riding days)
• DAY 5 - Nov 10: Ahmedabad - Mumbai (Pure riding days)

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PHASE ONE: KUTCH

(Note: Pawan had to visit the temple in his ancestral village of Vaanki. So we decided to make 'Vaanki' as our base (instead of Bhuj) and planned our itinerary accordingly. This would also help us save up on accommodation costs!)

DAY 1 / NOV 2, 2024: MUMBAI TO VAANKI
Place of stay: Vaanki Sanatorium

(860 kms approx / 16H40M)

Having done most of this stretch back in 2021 (we had gone towards Dholavira instead of Bhuj), the route didn’t seem daunting. What actually was stressing us out was the pathetic condition of the under-construction Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway. We had a terrible experience back in June, when we were travelling to Zanskar - though on and off reports suggested that the conditions were better off by end October. But still, videos and reels of the massive 8-10 hour long traffic jams were making us rethink our route - whether to go via the longer and relatively ‘less stressful’ Nasik-Saputara route or just stick to the Mum-Ahd and pray for a divine miracle!

Anyway, decided to stick to the original plan and leave as early as possible, ie, 4 am. We loaded up our bikes the evening before and decided to call it a day early - so as to get enough sleep for the arduous journey waiting for us. Forward to 3:45 am and we are below Pawan’s building (affectionately called HQ - since that’s been the start and end point for all our rides till date).

All locked and loaded waiting for the Big Brother from Germany!

A quick check of our bikes and aux lights - all systems a go! To our surprise, Google maps showed a completely Green/Blue stretch all the way! No traffic on the notorious Ghodbunder Road and neither anything red/yellow on NH48 a well :/ Not to be fooled by the sorcery, we made up our minds to brave the storm ahead.

And then there were two! The German and Japanese fury!

AND WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT?! We actually were at the MH-GUJ border check post within 1.5 hours! I guess since it was the day right after Diwali (Lakshmi pooja), people were still in festive spirits and nobody ventured out. The highway was relatively empty with no trucks and barring a few diversions and rough, unpaved patches - it was a breeze literally. We had to actually stop at the border to just pinch ourselves whether this was a dream or reality! Whenever we take this route, our breakfast point is usually around 275km from Mumbai - the “Jalaram Kathyiwada Hotel” just before the Choriyasi toll (after bypassing Surat). This is because in the morning time we can cover distances pretty fast and also build up the hunger so that we can take a good 40-45 minutes halt for breakfast.

Our first pitstop at 8:30am

Post Surat, the roads were excellent and we covered a lot of distance quickly. After a hearty Gujarati breakfast, we headed towards Vadodara and then onto the old Vadodara-Ahmedabad highway. Again, good roads and relatively lesser traffic meant we reached the outskirts of the ring road pretty quickly at around 12:30. From here we take a left towards Sanand and then head towards Samakhyali / Bhuj via the Mundra Port Road. The morning temperatures were pretty chill at around 22-24 degree C, but by noon time, it rose upto about 32-34.

We decided to stop for a drinks break (Chaas/Lassi etc.) but somehow decided to just keep riding till we again build up our hunger. Soon, we reached the Samakhyali junction where there’s a huge HONEST food court. For those who don’t know, HONEST is a chain of restaurants that line almost all the highways in the state of Gujarat. It’s like their version of Kamath’s! Anyway, stopped at the food court but it was packed to the brim. Being asocial, I was feeling claustrophobic seeing so many people! Pawan pointed at my ODO and I realised the bike had crossed 50,000kms (read: 9,000kms in 7 months) Probably a proud moment for both me and the previous owner, I guess! Took a picture and signalled Pawan to stop at the next relatively less-crowded place.

On my previous Tiger 800, I had clocked 37k kms! So this was a welcome sight!

Pawan: "Sir there’s a superb thali place, but it’ll be around 40km from here. Not very fancy, but the food is excellent!"

Both Prerana and me nodded in unison and off we left for this elusive thali place! After a fuel stop, we reached the thali place. One of the things that we soon get used to is the ‘unwanted attention that these bikes and riders’ get from the people - so that’s something that needs to be taken into account. Anyway, after the usual “Where are you guys from? What are these bikes? What is top speed?” question session; the heat was getting to us, so we just kept our composure somehow and made our way to a less crowded area of the hotel.

Nothing better than a Thali to fuel you up - during such long, non-stop rides

After destroying the thali and spending some time just lazing about, it was time to wear our gears and get back on the road. Only 80kms more! Time was around 4:45pm! Again, we didn’t want to get involved in this ‘sorcery of time’ and decided to just ride to our rooms for the night. 80kms were done and dusted in no time and by 5:30 pm we were at our stay in Vaanki. Special mention to the roads in Gujarat - though the 2021 road conditions were top notch, this time around, the roads had given way in many places (probably due to the amount of trucks that ply up and down). Yet, that didn’t delay us in any way and having ADV bikes with good suspension and power - enables you to cruise effortlessly on such roads.

“Strange inconsistency in both our odo” (Top is the GSA / Bottom is the ATAS)

The bikes performed exceptionally well. No issues whatsoever!

Decided to chill for a while and then just walk about the village as the sun set in the distance!

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DAY TWO / NOV 3, 2024: VAANKI LOCAL TEMPLE - BHUJ - KHADIYA DRO (CANYON)
Place of stay: Vaanki Sanatorium

Vaanki Mahavir Jain Temple is one of the pilgrimage halts in Kutch for the Jain community. Throughout the day, buses filled with Jain pilgrims were moving in and out of the complex we were staying in - which housed the main temple as well.

A wide angle view of the temple entrance

Intricate carvings throughout the entire structure

The temple compound is massive!

Breakfast was served in the common mess at 8am itself - so we made a beeline for it before the food gets over. The plan today was to visit the local temple (not the main temple) and then head to Bhuj for lunch and then proceed to a place known as “Grand Canyon of Kutch” (aka Khadiya Dro in local lingo). As mentioned many times, the itinerary was shortened to only include places we hadn’t seen during our last visit, in order to maximise the Jaisalmer leg of the trip.

'Welcome to Vaanki'

You'll find a lot of such traditional architectural houses!

A quiet, calm life!

Parked the bikes at a similar spot that we had in 2021.

"I'm just a boy, standing in front of my motorcycle..."

After taking the blessings of the local deity, we headed towards Bhuj which was around 40km from where we were at. The plan was to have lunch at a famous Kutchi thali place called “UMIYAJI”, though we soon realised that being a sunday the place might be packed to the brim. So we delayed our departure (and lunch pangs) from Vanki by half an hour so as to reach just in time when the main crowd starts dispersing.

Before the destruction...

Post lunch we decided to just check with the owner if he knew the way to this Canyon place. We had done our research via IG Reels and asking a few friends who had earlier been to this place - but each one had chartered their own paths and stumbled upon the place on their own. Funnily, even the owner and few other locals had never heard of this ‘KADIYA DRO’. Anyway, we decided to just google map it and found a ‘KADIYA DRO CAFE’ (one of the reels had mentioned that this is the place where you can park your vehicles). It was approximately 40kms from where we were and time shown was 1 hour. Decided to anyway check out the place since that was the only thing in our itinerary. We wanted to check out the Cenotaphs of Bhuj and Bhuj Museum as well - but since we had delayed our start, these things had to be missed. Well, its always good to leave something for next time I guess!

Google map from 'Umiyaji to Kadiya Dro Canyon Cafe'

Anyway, long journey short - we reached the ‘Kadiya Dro Cafe’ - which was nothing but a wood and straw hut with one person manning the ‘outpost’. There was already a family sitting there and soon we figured that the way to reach this ‘CANYON site’ was via a BOLERO CAMPER. The outpost owner was encouraging us to take our bikes and go - but somewhere we figured that riding two 250kg bike with a pillion on dry, rocky river beds would be a bad idea. The bolero pickup arrived and all three of us hopped onto the rear - holding the grab rails tight while the family made its way into the seating cabin. A minute into the drive and we realised what a great call to NOT take our bikes because we were instantly met with a 90 degree descent into deep sand and then onwards onto a 45 degree ascent onto big stones and boulders. It was a desert safari in itself - monster truck level!

(OK OK I exagerrated a bit. There were youngsters on their splendors and FZs who were also following us - so an ideal trail ride if one was mentally prepared for it. Which we were not!)

The route was through very remote, low vegetation desert lands. If you’ve ever been to the Kutch side - you’ll realise that it has a very similar terrain to Western Rajasthan (I got to know this later on!) and most of it is a dry, arid land. The terrain after a point starts looking like a different planet only and you’ll have to pinch yourself to keep reminding oneself that you are in INDIA! (This same feeling I got when I had first visited Ladakh in 2019 and Kashmir in 2023). After a good 45 minutes of adventure and spirited drive through sand, stones, river beds and rock formations - we finally reached the famous CANYON POINT! And man, what a sight to behold!

Oasis in the desert!

"I'm just a girl, staring at my reflection..."

"The friendly neighbourhood boys - you can take home!"

In case you plan to visit, you can take your SUVs provided it is 4x4. But my recommendation would be to park your vehicles and go via the Bolero route to actually experience some thrills and chills! There’s a small outpost at the canyon point where you get Maggi, Tea/Coffee, water and soft drinks. We were given a cut off time of 1 hour (so as to avoid the darkness post sun-set). Walked around, clicked pictures and sat silently for a while and it was time to head back. Our bikes were waiting for us - had parked them under a tree and boy it felt so good to be back on the motorcycle after the whole 4W adventure.

This entire route (Bhuj to Canyon) is devoid of any petrol pumps or food joints - barring the roadside stalls selling chips. My reserve light had already come up during out inward journey and a mental calculation meant that I may fall short before reaching Bhuj. Reason being - though Google maps showed 40 odd kms for this place, in reality, it was touching somewhere around 60-65kms. My mental calculations were based on the 40 kms mark, so this new development was a bit concerning. In my earlier posts I had mentioned how the ATAS fuel range of 27kms remaining is actually equivalent to “0 kms”. So even though it was showing me a range of 40kms (20 kms into our return journey to Bhuj), I didn’t want to take any chances.

Luckily, Pawan enquired with a local and we found that some of these roadside stalls do sell petrol for around 120 rupees for a litre; guess they also figured this would be a good side business apart from selling tea and chips. Reached one of the designated stalls and filled 2L of petrol - just to be safe.

Rode back to Bhuj, fuelled up properly and found a quaint pizza place for dinner. After a nice gossip session, we headed back to Vaanki and thus ended an eventful day two of the Kutch phase.

Continue reading on BHPian TheVass' bike road trip for BHPian comments, insights and more information.

We booked a homestay whose location was insanely pretty and scenic, especially for us city people. It's located in the middle of acres tea plantations.

BHPian Electricpig recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Intro

The point of this trip was to say goodbye to my sister, who will be going abroad for higher studies. A sort of a last dance before she leaves. We live in Bangalore and our criteria for the destination were as follows:

• Drive should be less than 8 hours.
• Off-beat/Not a crowded tourist spot.

We were looking at:

• Kodai
• Wayanad(Canned for obvious reasons)
• Coonoor
• Ooty
• Gokarna
• Varkala
• Vagamon

Finally decided that Coonoor/Kotagiri fit our criteria and started looking at home stay options. Found a place in Coonoor-Ghar homestay Coonoor that was away from the main town. More on that later.

Day 1

The plan was to start from home at 4:30 a.m. on the 15th August. Surprisingly, we were only 20 minutes behind schedule, and ended up leaving at 4:50. Crazy traffic at 5:10 near Hudson circle/KR Market.

Cleared the traffic and finally hit the Mysore expressway at 6.

Stopped at one Hari Govindas for Coffee, after the expressway. Nice spot and very good filter coffee.

Some photos from Bandipur/Mudumallai:

On exiting Mudumallai, we were asked to stop and register for a Nilgiris E-Pass. We didn't have to pay anything, but no idea what the point was, since we were never asked to show the pass at any point during the trip.

After Mudumallai, we started the 36 hairpin bends to Ooty within an hour or so.

These mist-covered mountains

We stopped for lunch at one Thalssery restaurant in Ooty, which was on the way to our homestay. I doubt if this restaurant is actually a part of the Thalssery chain. Food was okay. Deserted restaurant. 5/10.

We finally reached the homestay around 3 p.m. The location is insanely beautiful and scenic, especially for us city people. It's located in the middle of acres upon acres of tea plantations.

Sharing some pics from the numerous walks we took around the place.

Day 2

Today, we were supposed to take the toy train that goes from Coonoor to Ketti. However, IRCTC randomly cancelled the train at the last minute so we made alternate plans. First on the agenda was to visit an RC church, say our prayers, and then carry on. After some searching in the Coonoor town, we came to St. Anthony's church, a beautiful and cosy church on a hill top.

From the church, we set out in search of Filter Coffee, a rare commodity in Coonoor (Only instant coffee). In search of our coffee, we had the opportunity to walk through Coonoor's "shortcuts" - flights of stairs that run literally through the city.

The stairs:

Some sights of Coonoor:

After Sim's park, we had lunch at a dosa joint (It had strawberry and dry fruit dosa, and gave us a kallu dosa for Uthappam). This restaurant was on Bedford Road... and as it turned out, Bedford Road had quiet a few interesting places to explore. We checked out one 'Gaia pottery store', a handicraft store which occupied a beautiful house.

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There is marginal difference in taking NH48 or NE4 from Ankleshwar to Vadodara. It depends on current traffic conditions.

BHPian rajcs recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Travelled from Mumbai to Delhi on 04/05 March and returned on 09/10 March, travelling further north to Nainital and Rishikesh in between.

Enroute halts:

• Private residence at Vadodara during Mumbai - Delhi leg.
• Raj Palace Resort, Sawai Madhopur during Delhi- Mumbai leg.

Travel time including halts:

• Navi Mumbai to Vadodara : 9AM to 6PM.
• Vadodara to Delhi : 8:30 AM to 11 PM.
• Delhi (NOIDA) to Sawai Madhopur : 3.30 PM to 8:30PM
• Sawai Madhopur to Mumbai:5:30 AM to 11:30 PM.

Route:

• Mostly as per Google Maps and Mappls.
• Navi Mumbai >> Vadodara : NH48 till Ankleshwar and NE4 to Vadodara.
• Vadodara >> Delhi : SH till Godhra; NH47 from Godhra to Gelarkalan; SH to Tandla interchange via Meghnagar; NE4 to Chechat interchange; SH and NH 52 to Gopalpura interchange via Modak; NE4 to Laban interchange; Lalsot-Kota Mega Highway to Sawai Madhopur interchange; NE4 to Gurugram via Sohna road; NH48 from Gurugram to Delhi Aerocity.
• NOIDA >> Sawai Madhopur: DND-KMP Expressway to NE4; NE4 to Sawai Madhopur interchange; NH552 to Sawai Madhopur.
• Sawai Madhopur >> Navi Mumbai: NH552 and Lalsot-Kota Mega Highway to Laban interchange; NE4 to Gopalpura interchange. NH52 and SH via Modak to Chechat interchange; NE4 to Ratlam exit; NH156 to Nagda; SH to Dhar; NH347C to join NH52 at Sirsodiya; NH52 to Dhule; NH60 to Nashik; AH47 (Agra Highway) to Thane and further to Navi Mumbai.

Road status Updates:

• NH48 road works for white-topping in Vasai - Talasari stretch is mostly complete. However, there are a few stretches where work is still going on and causing major traffic snarls. Also the road quality in completed sections is too bumpy for anything more than 80kmph.
• There is marginal difference in taking NH48 or NE4 from Ankleshwar to Vadodara. It depends on current traffic conditions. Go by Google Maps recommendations.
• Gujarat section of NE4 from Vadodara to Thandla is still not ready. Need to take SH and NH47 via Halol / Godhra to Thandla interchange.
• NE4 from Thandla to Chechat interchange has sparse traffic and good surface. Enroute rest stops are barely functional and food is limited to Maggy and tea.
• Path Recharge (I love their logo) are setting up EV recharge stations at most rest stops. Will enable EV travel on NE4 once these are fully functional.
• Link Road between Chechat interchange and NH52 at Morak overbridge has been resurfaced and there are no traffic jams.
• Mukandara underpass on NH52 remains a bottle neck with single lane traffic for about 10 km. Can be held up in traffic here for upto an hour.
• 80km section of NE4 between Gopalpura and Laban interchanges bypassing Kota is a new addition since my travel six months back. Good surface and sparse traffic with no functional rest stops as I could see. Overall one needs to be self sufficient in terms of food and water while traversing Rajasthan and MP sections of NE4.
• Red wattled lapwigs are plenty on this stretch, probably picking up dropped grains or dead insects. They are slow movers and need to honk to move them out of the way. I hit one and it got stuck into my car's front grille. Terribly sorry for that.
• Lalsot-Kota Mega(!) Highway between Laban interchange and Sawai Madhopur interchange is still a pain to cross. Lots of truck traffic and many unmarked bumps to test your car's shock absorbers.
• NE4 from Sawai Madhopur to Sohna Road still requires you to exit and re-enter at Chimanpura for toll payments. This section is functional for over a year now and toll reprogramming should have been completed by now for permitting through travel.
• There are many sections in Sawai Madhopur to Sohna road NE4 which are under repair. The barricades do not have flashing lights for indicating lane closures at night. At 120 kmph, an unmarked lane closure can severely test the stopping distance and ABS.
• Trucks are now hogging the high speed lane. Cars are weaving between lanes at over 100 kmph.
• Unofficial eateries have come up in some sections providing food across the barriers to trucks stopped on the shoulder, possibly for the Ramadan fast breaking. Hopefully they will not become a permanent fixture.
• There is no cure for Gurgaon - Delhi traffic snarls.
• NOIDA to NE4 is now a breeze thanks to the DND-KMP expressway.
• Delhi to Mumbai via Dhule is also a good option with similar travel time as via Vadodara.
• Work on Mumbai-Kasara Ghat section of Agra Highway is still in progress at certain sections leading to slow traffic.

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Turning on the Tirupati highway, I took another break at the Heritage Milk Parlor. I downed a cold coffee along with some small vada.

BHPian tasty911 recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

To celebrate the arrival of Meteor's twenty five K Km and my fifty yrs, I decided to go on an open ended ride gated by the few weeks of time I have.
The plan is to head east from Bangalore and then head up on NH16 till I run out of time or get bored. Did a bit of planning, i.e. got the bike serviced, read a few far east threads on teambhp and gathered some knowledge regarding paperwork needed for north-east, Bhutan and Nepal.
Trying to keep this thread updated as I proceed on my ride.

Day 1: Bangalore to Vijayawada

Having packed last night, all I had to do was to tie the bags on the bike. I am carrying a Viaterra claw tail bag for clothes and Guardian Gear tankbag for laptop/camera
Up at 0425 and out the door at 0555. My wife and son saw me off. It was still dark and going was good. I was hoping for a 700Km day.
Then the fog hit. It was a few Km before Kolar and visibility dropped to a few meters and speed to 20 Kmph. Initially I struggled to ride. My glasses and visor kept fogging up every few seconds.

Then I figured out a trick. I would find a truck/bus going at a speed I was comfortable with. Then just follow it at a safe distance. Light reflecting off its back improved the visibility and it also reduced the fogging to some extent.
Took the first tea break at the Mulbagal toll booth. A cup of tea with two biscuits - one of which I fed to a stray looking at me hopefully.
After a while the sun started to peep out, only to be shut out again by the fog.

Eventually, the sun won out. I was at Mogili by that time.

Turning on the Tirupati highway, I took another break at the Heritage Milk Parlor. I downed a cold coffee along with some small vada.

The stretch around Tirupati had a bit of haphazard traffic and then the going became good again. A little before Naidupet, hit the 25K Km mark on the Meteor.

After Naidupet, joined NH16 and turned north. The stretch between Naidupet and Nellore is flanked by fields with ripening crops. The yellow fields in the morning sun present a pretty picture.

Pretty soon I was hungry again and stopped for lunch at a shed before Kavali. It was a quick 15 min break for lunch.

At 1500, I stopped to take stock. I was about 100 Km from Vijawada and about 30 less from Guntur. I should have stopped at Guntur, but decided to head to Vijawada.
Booked a hotel from booking.com
Traffic was bad as I entered Vijayawada. It was a little after 1700 as I entered my room.
Rested for a while and then went in search of a mobile repair shop. Last night, my phone had stopped charging.

At the phone shop, I asked the owner what one would eat in Vijayawada other than biryani. He recommended Upma Pesarattu and suggested a nearby shop.

I am glad I asked. This is something I had never eaten before. It was delicious, though a little spicier than what I would have liked.

Called it a day at 645Km.

Continue reading on BHPian tasty911's Bhutan trip for BHPian comments, insights and more information.

We set out on a journey with my BYD Atto 3 and Kia Carens. Driving an EV means planning your charging stops carefully.

BHPian axedrone recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Electric Escape: A Smooth Ride from Bangalore to Pondy

We set out on a journey with my BYD Atto 3 and Kia Carens.
The plan was simple: Bangalore → Krishnagiri → Tiruvannamalai → Gingee → Tindivanam → Pondy, with a few essential stops along the way.

The Journey Begins
We started from Bangalore at 6 AM, cruising through the early morning mist. The roads were in pristine condition, free of potholes, making for a smooth ride.

Pit Stop 1: Breakfast at Krishnagiri A2B

By the time I reached A2B in Krishnagiri, I was ready for a hearty breakfast. Unfortunately, the experience was underwhelming—the food was mediocre, and the service was sluggish despite the place not being crowded. A quick meal later, I was back on the road.
Charging Up at Sri Lakshmi Bhavan, Melchengam

Driving an EV means planning your charging stops carefully. Around Melchengam, We took a quick break at Sri Lakshmi Bhavan to top up at their Statiq charging station. As expected, the app refused to start the session, and I had to call customer care to activate it manually. Left with 20% extra charge, I was ready to hit the road again.
Reaching Auro Bliss Villa

After eight hours on the road, I finally arrived at Auro Bliss Villa around 2 PM. The villa, nestled in Tamil Nadu, offered a quiet retreat, though ongoing construction work and an unfinished swimming pool were minor disappointments.

The Return Journey

After a relaxing stay, it was time to head back. We started at 3:30 PM, retracing the same route back to Bangalore.

Another Charging Stop at Sri Lakshmi Bhavan

A quick 20-minute charging stop at Sri Lakshmi Bhavan ensured I had enough juice for the rest of the journey.

Tea Trouble: No Good Tea Shops Between Tiruvannamalai & Krishnagiri
For tea lovers, a word of caution—there are no decent tea shops along the stretch between Tiruvannamalai and Krishnagiri. If you need a good cup of chai, plan accordingly!

Dinner at Sri Saravana Bhavan

Post Krishnagiri toll, we decided to stop at Sri Saravana Bhavan for dinner. The food here was delicious and well worth the stop.

After a long but comfortable drive, I finally reached home around 11:30 PM.

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It took everything in its stride and performed flawlessly. With four of us on board and constant usage of the AC, the car returned a mileage of 14+ km/l.

BHPian Samba recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Etios crossed the 120,000 km mark on its odometer.

Took the car for yet another 750 km road-trip to Purulia. This was a family trip with four of us on board, so Etios was the default choice due to the comfort and space it offers.

I drove the car on smooth, six-lane highways to jungle trails with little off-roading. It took everything in its stride and performed flawlessly. With four of us on board and constant usage of the AC, the car returned a mileage of 14+ km/l.

No niggles or any kind of rattles have cropped up till now. It's been roughly 3,000 km since the accidental repair work. So far, so good. As of now, things look to be quite positive.

Sharing a few pics from the trip-

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Am happy to report that this car is driving like before. No unwanted vibration or any left or right pull. The car stops straight even under heavy braking. The highspeed lane changes were like before, and no nervousness was felt.

BHPian Samba recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Completed a 1400-km road trip to Odisha & Andhra Pradesh and my 50th road trip with the Etios!

The Etios has had a bad time in the last six months. So, we decided to take it on this trip to break that jinx. Plus, this would be a good test after the extensive accident repair work.

In the beginning, I was a bit skeptical about taking the Etios. I wanted to take the Jimny since after the repair work after the crash, the Etios has been driven for only 300 km. I would have wanted to drive at least 1000 km locally, before taking this car for a long drive.

But my wife Bhpian DogNDamsel12 wanted to take this car, and she was confident that this car would not let us down. Plus, this will be a good test run to regain our confidence in this car. I agreed reluctantly!

A couple of days before the trip, I did a thorough check-up and everything looked to be in place.

How did the car perform?

FLAWLESS!

Initially, I was driving in a bit conservative manner and I felt something was amiss! But as time went by I started to put some more pressure on the A pedal and things started to feel good! I could not help but grin like old times out of pure joy.

Drove for the whole night and we managed to cover 630 km in less than 9 hours. And despite the spirited driving, the car returned a mileage of 14+ kmpl.

Am happy to report that this car is driving like before. No unwanted vibration or any left or right pull. The car stops straight even under heavy braking. The highspeed lane changes were like before, and no nervousness was felt.

Post the trip a thorough check was done and everything is fine. Checked the tread in all four tires for any uneven wear and tear, but nothing was there.

The niggles to be sorted -

The rear left door pad has a clip broken, so there is a slight rattle from that door pad.

The rear right door lock needs to be adjusted, there is 0.5 mm panel gap.

The spare wheel well portion earlier had few sponges on which the spare wheel used to sit. Post the repair work those sponges are missing. Have to put them back on.

The towing hook was lost/misplaced during the repair work, so ordered a new one from Toyota.

Did a thorough water test again from the sides of the tail lamps. There was a slight seepage from the right side tail lamp. On opening the tail lamp we found a couple of rubber bushes to be missing. On installing back the bushes things got sorted. We again did a thorough water test and now there is no seepage.

Sharing a few pics from the trip -

The journey starts!

Early morning break after driving all night.

At Baruva, Andhra Pradesh

At Eco Retreat Sonapur in Odisha

At Chilka

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