Tag Archives: India

Wolfpack Roadtrip Day 3: Bangalore to Wellington

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Waking up on Day 3 proved to be an ordeal – even for the punctual runner among us, Harsha. The temperature was just cold enough and blankets proving too cozy to come out of. However one by one we trudged to freshen up and found a sumptuous traditional North Indian breakfast of puri, bhaji and halwa waiting. Try as hard we might have, however none could control our appetites and after the meal each was looking to hand over the car keys to the other.

A quick photo session with my cute little niece Ilisha later, we hit the road (Bibin finally agreed – reluctantly – to drive through the chaos). If we needed jolting out of our reverie, Bangalore traffic was there to oblige and by the time we hit the outskirts heading towards Mysore, the comforts of home were long forgotten and the breakfast digested courtesy some rally-route inspired roads.

My eyes were looking out for the much hyped Mysore expressway, but to my disappointment I found it’s still under construction and hence we had to make do with the traditional Mysore road. This wasn’t bad in any way and the tarmac was near perfect, with the McDonald’s and KFC on the highway reminding us we were in India’s silicon valley. These good roads were finally making up for the late start, however the joy was short-lived.

We had planned to drive through Sathyamangalam Tiger reserve, and that meant diverting from the traditional route for Wellington. Ideally we should have driven past Mysore and approached Wellington via Ooty. Instead we diverted south from Maddur towards Malavalli and were to hit Wellington via Conoor. Well that was the plan at least (and looked decent on the map). The prob started with a gadget misconfiguration as our GPS guided us to take the “shortest” route and not the “fastest”.

Therefore it made us turn south before Maddur into some atrocious village roads. Now we always knew the diversion towards Malavalli was a state highway and hence roads would be precarious, but this was well below our expectations. Though the route passed through some breathtaking ethnic India landscape, however the dirt road was more suited to tractors than a relatively sophisticated urban vehicle.

After a couple of hours of battling we did hit NH 948 toward Tamil Nadu, heading to Sathyamangalam. The roads though nothing extraordinary, were a big relief – just goes on to show how significant “perspective” can be. After the past two hours, we could have accepted anything that had tar to drive on. As we approached the much awaited Tiger reserve, temperature dropped dramatically and by sunset it was quite chilly.

The forest unfortunately turned out to be overly populated and hence a disappointment. Not for a moment (apart from the chill) did we feel away from a highway or civilization, and this meant we were far away from appreciating any significant fauna enroute. Eventually we had to take a break to meet our hunger for food and were fed with near perfection.

We happened to hit upon a small state transport run eatery and the place served some traditional South Indian food to kill for. As an added surprise, the staff were some of the most amiable sarkari mulazim I’ve ever interacted with, and their smiles made all tiredness fade away. With traditional rural simplicity and genuineness (of both food and behaviour), this was something we are so far removed in our metropolises and I can say confidently, it was one of the best experience we had in our entire trip.

The approach to Conoor had us tackle 38 hair pin bends, 24 going down and the remaining 14 ascending. Though it was dark by now, the roads were superb and driving experience exhilarating. The chill only added to the pleasure and lifted our spirits close to nirvana. For once I did not want the road to end and wished we reached our destination as late as possible.

Eventually though we reached Madras Regimental Centre Officer’s Mess, which has the honour of being the oldest regiment in the Indian Army; having been raised in 1704 as the personal bodyguards to the Maharaja of Travancore. We were now in the hands of the gallant service and god knows very few can host like them. I have stayed in a few popular hotels and even in those I’ve not enjoyed such hospitality. Even the very top end hotels am sure would struggle to match the grace, elegance – and above all – human touch of the fauj.

Right from the moment we arrived, till we were comfortably settled with our drinks, the mess saab was there to make sure we felt as close to home as possible. To be frank, this really cannot be put in words and has to be experienced in person. Hence a good day’s drive came to a perfect ending. Day 4 was to be spent in the scintillating environs of the Nilgiris, exploring the areas around Wellington and Ooty and indulge in the serene climate. So while no long drives, but many things planned and being our first break, it would help us soak in the place, people and food.

I will continue this travelogue on Day 5, when we start our journey to Goa with a totally different experience awaiting us. The peace of the mountains would soon be replaced with the chaos of boisterous beaches. But that’s still more than 48 hours away. So till then to enjoy the crisp air and wonderful environs. Till tomorrow…

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Wolfpack Roadtrip Day 2: Belgaum to Bangalore

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Yesterday’s late night “brainstorming” session meant that none of us could leave the bed at our agreed upon hour of 6am. The cold weather and late night Premiership matches also were partly to blame for our extended resting sessions, but even after waking up no one seemed to be in a hurry. Harsha went for a run, Bibin was staring at the TV – which was off, and I was writing yesterday’s post. Oh and Joe didn’t bother to leave the cozy confines of his blanket at all.

Finally when we did manage to leave the hotel, sun was high in the sky and the watches were just past that classic Titan advertisement figure of 10:10 am. We had 520 kms (approx) ahead of us, though by all indications the roads were supposed to be a treat. To make best of our freshened up state, we decided to postpone breakfast for later and immediately hit the road with renewed zest.

A big advantage of staying close to the highway meant we were out of the city traffic in a jiffy and nipping close to 100 km/hr within minutes. The roads were indeed as good as suggested and therefore spirits were high to aim for an early dinner at Bangalore. Before dinner though, our tummies were calling out for breakfast and we  stopped at a little hotel off the road. The place was almost out of breakfast but we were fortunate to get some rather simple idli, dosa and uthapam. I feel it’s the best breakfast before driving being light enough not to make one feel dozy.

I took the wheel for the first part of the day and as we started the GPS unit displayed ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival) as 2315 hrs. But with the near perfect roads and minimal traffic, by 1315 hrs the ETA suggestion had come down to 2202 hrs. For once the GPS unit could not keep up pace with Indian highways!

Rest three of my companions were blissfully hanging their heads supported by their window mirrors, sleeping as if there were no tomorrow. It’s both funny and a little irritating when someone deep in sleep suddenly wakes up for a moment and gives you “suggestions” as if he was awake all along. “Abe thoda right mein rakh/ brake aaram se maar, mein dekh raha hu kuch time se, not sleeping.” And immediately after this pearl of wisdom the great man is back into “meditation mode.”

The roads were absolutely flawless, and as I wrote earlier, traffic minimal. It was a rolling landscape though, devoid of any natural treats worth photographing. Surrounded by mounds of red sand and boulders aka Sholey, one could almost feel a dacoits jumping out on a horse. If that would have happened, the poor guy would have been in a fix what with the traffic zipping at 120 km/hr and even more. Best part of the route though, was the absence of diversions/ towns to interrupt the flow of speed. Service roads were well clear and all u-turns were in the form of under passes.

When everyone did wake up it was time to change drivers and my turn to meditate. However as I took back seat there started a heated debated whether the snoring of one of us (I shall not name him here for fear of being showered by abuses) was the reason behind everyone’s lack of sleep. It was hotly refuted by the accused and even hours later there was no final decision, deferred for tonight with video evidence coming into play.

We stopped at 1600 hrs for lunch, which was the simple affair called meals, ubiquitous in this part of the country. It consisted of simple dry vegetable, chatni, pickle, dal and extra-large rotis. Simple yet effective. From here we passed through a windmill farm, though except for the huge towers, there were no flushing meadows with lazy cows that one pictureises by default. There were lots of sugeracane and banana farms along the road, but they quite don’t make vistas like the paddy fields in Kerala.

Again though, what Karnataka countryside could not offer in visual appeal, they’ve more than made up with their roads which are eons ahead of anything found in Kerala. I am mentioning this for the third time in this post because they are that good. And all this when on most part of the road there is widening (to six lane from the existing four lanes) work under progress. Yet not a single diversion/ blocking of the existing tarmac. By the time we hit outskirts of Bangalore, with 20 kms remaining to our destination we were looking at reaching home by 1900 hrs!

And then Murphy struck. I always thought that Ahmedabad had the worst traffic anywhere…till yesterday. Yes I had heard horror stories about Bangalore traffic, but not till I witnessed it first hand yesterday did I realise how mind numbingly bad it is. The roads are super narrow, traffic endless, add to it Metro construction works and you have a perfect dish of chaos garnished with lots of fumes.

Bangalorians are supposed to be gentle and law-abiding people – and while I have no doubts they are – someone certainly forgot to tell them this while on road. It was raving war out there. Two wheelers zipping from every direction, buses and rickshaws squeezing into non-existent spaces. It all reminded me of Aryton Senna’s famous quote after he rammed into Alain Prost at Suzuka in 1990, “ If you no longer go for a gap, you no longer a racing driver.” Timeshift to Bangalore in 2011, and it seems, “If you no longer go for a gap, you no longer fit to drive in Bangalore.”

Thankfully after much frustration and swearing we managed to reach our destination with all parts of my beloved car intact. We were staying at cousin’s place at the Air Force officer’s colony behind the old airport, and it was a welcome delight to walk into a quiet, warm and clean home after the past two hours of madness. God only knows what would have happened to us if we had to hotel hunt in this craziness.

Being a fauji’s house, there was another welcome delight – Old Monk, and we sated our thirsts discussing all and sundry with our hostess. No one seemed to be particularly hungry but when my sister-in-law ordered two huge chicken Biryanis, all of it was devoured in a flash. I don’t want to contemplate the situation had the boys been hungry!

So came to end a successful second day on a positive note again. Tomorrow we head to the Nilgiris through Sathyamangalam Tiger reserve. It promises some scintillating scenery and an engaging drive in the mountains, with hair pin turns galore. It’s going to be cold though, and a nice filter coffee at a little roadside place should be just what the doctor ordered. This was our main focus while planning the trip and naturally excitement levels are high. Hence the next post should finally be accompanied with some nice pictures. Till tomorrow then…

Wolfpack Roadtrip Day 1: Bombay to Belgaum

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Four best bros, one car, ten days. It might sound like a movie script, but this was a little dream of ours that was realised today as we cast off from Bombay, albeit much later than planned. Having witnessed and been part of a scintillating President’s Fleet Review on 19 and 20 Oct, this was a much awaited and relieving break.

Our focus areas for this trip were a drive in the Nilgiris with a stay at the revered ‘Defense Services Staff College’, Welington and the annual pilgrimage to Goa (hopefully with a couple of days at the Sunburn festival). En-route we were to halt at Belgaum, Bangalore and Chikmagalur before returning in time to Bombay for the New Years.

Get, set, go....

...uh oh, wait for lunch first :P

As is always the case with a gang of reckless boys, our start was delayed. Well that maybe an understatement considering we were still in Bombay when we had lunch at 1330hrs. But with enough drivers aboard and good roads expected ahead of us, we were not too worried. Our vehicle of choice was my humble yet comfortable Hyundai i20. It took four and their luggage in comfort, and at least after day 1 I can say with confidence that it stays stable on the highway with ABS providing an enormous peace of mind (I believe it came in use more than a couple of times).

Till Pune was the familiar terrain of Lonavla, driving on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. Thereafter we joined NH-4 which heads towards Bangalore (to all those who would have noticed my usage of the ‘older’ names for cities, I strongly despise this renaming-for-cheap-publicity epidemic). The next 50 kms were a mixed bag of roads, from smooth to jarred, but what really slowed the pace was the incessant local traffic and commercial spaces along the highway.

I had stayed at Lonavla from 2000-04, and since then the changes to the exterior of Pune were dramatic. It has become far more chaotic and the construction is seemingly endless with hardly any break in the prosaic cement structures. Even the once famous “Pancard Clubs” logo, which many quoted as a landmark, was now hidden from view, pushed into insignificance by the grotesque blocks of concrete.

Sadly there was nothing of mention to write about along the entire route except that the roads are a pleasure to drive on. We could safely sustain speeds in excess of 100 km/hr, except for stretches where errant two-wheeler traffic with their unpredictable changes of directions made the smooth roads a bit pointless. However even the good roads in Mahrashtra were better the moment we crossed over into Karnataka, with the tarmac status upgraded to ‘super-smooth.’

Despite our late start, all these positive factors contributed in us reaching Belgaum just a shade before 2100 hrs. Now started hunt for accommodation and while our first choice would have been the army detachment, however it was at the other end of the town, hence we decided to avoid the extra time that we would have to spend driving through city traffic. We found the PWD guest house right next to the highway, which seemed comfy and clean. Sadly it was booked for the night, and the amiable staff directed us to a decent hotel.

Redirected from there too, we were shown to Hotel Keerthi which had an AC room for us for Rs 1,500/- (with extra mattresses for the two additional occupants). The room itself turned out to be huge, clean and surprisingly comfortable for its cost. But the pleasant surprises did not end here, and the hotel’s bar served an array of drinks, with a 60ml peg of Old Monk available for a princely sum of Rs 60!!!

Nothing could have ensured a better end to the day than couple of drinks with great friends reminiscing old days and making plans for the future. Plans that ranged from the absurd to crazy, yet plans only we could manifest. Detailed strategies were also discussed for the modus operandi at Goa, and wingmen were designated with an oath to help their respective bros find a pretty new friend. On those hopeful (and utterly hopeless) thoughts we called it a day and hence shall I end this recount of events. Till tomorrow then…

Great India Roadtrip: Day 15

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I finished the previous day’s report (a long time ago) on a note that this post would  have an interesting beginning. Well it will, as that is the way the 15th day of our trip began. I brought out in my earlier post,  that we were staying right across the Puri beach and this sparked some ideas in my brain. We had three of the best SUVs in India at our disposal, and not taking them for a ride on the beach seemed criminal.

So we woke up early and under my (not so able) aegis, drove the cars (sans the Innova ofcourse) on to the beachfront. Now since none of us were pros at this, we certainly drove with much trepidation, but then the supreme abilities of these vehicles, made it easier than expected. That encouraged much experimenting, with driving through shallow water and lots of shutter clicking.

Ya it was a bit stupid of us :P

Our antics had certainly attracted a sizable crowd, who were there as much for the cars, as to see the faces of the stupid people (or maybe celebs, it’s the same thing) fooling around with them. Our juvenile tendencies sated, we headed back towards dear tarmac, and this proved to be a different task altogether as it entailed driving over a small rise on the beach, which for added fun, had loose sand. Me being me, chose the LC200 and a different route from the rest two – well I am always hat ke from the rest you see.

Little did I realise that while I was indeed avoiding loose sand, I was also heading bang into populated territory and with an attractive brute, it only meant people blocking my progress to get a better view. Now anyone who has ever experienced or heard of driving on sand knows that momentum is critical, and once that is lost it does not take long for the car to sink into the soft surface. And I was maneuvering nearly a 3 tonne monster at that.

Bam! Tyres hugged the sand, threw up most of it as they spun, and all the electro-mechanic wizardry of the Toyota could not get it to move an inch. This  seemed to press all the panic buttons in my brain, all at once. Various worst case scenarios started floating in my mind. We will have to call a crane and I’ll embarrass everyone, the expedition would  come to a stupid halt etc etc. Thankfully it did not come to that as the people were extremely helpful – after being offered Rs 1000 for their services. A couple of heaves, followed with an unblocked way ahead, and the LC literally breezed out of the seemingly insurmountable terrain.

We were later told that such off-roaders on the beach are nothing new for the locals, and they were not attracted by any inquisitiveness, but very cunningly  cornered the one away from the pack, to precisely block and get it stuck and make an easy buck! So much to their entrepreneurial abilities then, but I was mighty relieved to make it out of the sticky situation.

Normalcy restored, we continued on our journey towards Vishakapatnam, though before that we had a brief lunch halt at INS Chilka. This Naval Base is the basic training organisation of all the enlisted men joining the Indian Navy, and hence holds a major significance. Situated on the banks of the world’s second largest lagoon – from which it gets its name – it is a picturesque base and one full of surprises.

Sadly we landed on a Sunday afternoon, meaning we were far from the daily hustle bustle, with most people preferring a quiet siesta indoors away from the stifling heat (yes even during November). So we limited ourselves to some photography at the lovely watermanship training center of the base, with its views of Lake Chilka spreading out till the unseen, masquerading as the mighty ocean, only to be betrayed by its calm visage.

Roads in Orissa are nothing much to write about, and not fun to drive on either. Firstly there are no carriageways to let loose, neither the kind of twists to keep one involved, and the incessant cattle traffic is a sore to the eye and steering. Entering Andhra Pradesh then provided for a welcome change. One could notice the stark difference in the countryside which was much lusher despite being pretty much in the same environment.

Paddy fields stretched till far and there seemed to be a purpose about the place. This is one of the many disputed areas in our country with the battle on for the formation of a new Telangana from within the existing state, with Vishakapatnam as its capital. Thankfully we did not get any hint of trouble during our passage and infact it turned out to be a soothing last few hours before we entered the “city of destiny” – as the locals choose to call the coastal city of Vishakapatnam.

That may be a grand euphemism for what is a pretty regular port city, and I prefer to stick to the nickname Vizag. Nevertheless I had served here for close to two years during my first appointment on a warship, and it indeed brought back many memories. Not much had changed since I had left, either in the manic traffic culture, or the quaint “Beach Road” that’s a shining example of how a beach front should be developed and maintained.

The best part though was yet to come. We checked into Green Park, a hotel close to the beach, and might I say that among all the varied places we bunked during our trip (from the grand to the bare-bones), I never experienced the kind of personal touch and true Indian hospitality as this place. It was just perfect, from the food to the staff, with everyone attempting to make our stay that bit special. I know it’s not among the famed chain of hotels, but if any of you happen to visit Vizag, I would recommend this place with eyes closed.

We were being hosted by the Admiral Superintendent the next day and that meant some smart military turn out and a chance to meet old friends and colleagues after long. Vizag is home to the Eastern Fleet and probably the most important city after Bombay in context to our Naval might. Right from the best in gas turbine technology to the latest and meanest nuclear submarine, all find home here.

But the high point for the day was a drive up Dolphin’s cove. This place was still coming up when I was here last, and to see it near completion was a sight in itself. It’s on top of Dolphin hill that stands like a sentinel over the vast blue sea stretching till infinity – needless to say then that the visuals here are purely breathtaking. To add to my pleasure, the route is a spaghetti of tarmac draped across the mountain, curving its way towards the top – and on to automotive nirvana.

Evening was reserved to catching up with old friends in an unofficial atmosphere and taking the Landie for a spin on beach road with all embarked. Overall one of the best two days in the trip (definitely since Delhi) and a very rejuvenating halt. Next we headed to Chennai, covering the most kilometers in a day during our entire trip. But indications were that the road would be nice and scenic, so we were geared up for it.

I know this was long, but trust me I had to really trim it down. Mostly as the stay was nostalgic and the drive was proving the most enjoyable yet with the new crew being the most fun by a long way compared to the others. And this proved to be a precursor to the remaining leg, which only continued to get better. But that’s for future posts. So till next time adios and drive safe :)

Great India Road Trip

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It all started with an innocuous thought between a few of friends – Gaurav Sahai, Bibin Abraham and myself – sharing drinks sitting across the Arabian sea. Thinking of an apt way to commemorate the 275th anniversary of Naval Dockyard Mumbai, we thought of driving to all the major bases and command organisations of the Indian Navy. Well that plan extrapolated – and how!

The Naval Dockyard, Mumbai was established in 1735 to cater to the demands of the then nascent ship building industry of India. The Yard has since grown in leaps and bounds, serving the nation right from the two World Wars, to supporting the cutting edge warships and submarines today. It boasts of having built the oldest ship afloat presently, the HMS Trincomalee, and has the proud distinction of being the premium technical defence establishment and one of the oldest in the whole of Asia.

So, to commemorate the occasion in a befitting way (and in the bargain live a long cherished dream), our small team of four led by Commodore SK Tewari set about planning the road trip, which now aimed at encompassing a good deal of our vast country. The hunt for sponsors took us from dear old Maruti-Suzuki to the mighty Volkswagen group.

With mixed reactions from various manufacturers, we hit luck by getting in touch with Overdrive mag – the leading automobile print journal in the country. Team Overdrive were extremely positive in helping us organise this drive (with several other ideas in addition) and got us in touch with Toyota. The Japanese are world leaders in four-wheeler production and their enthusiasm and commitment shown towards our event left us in little doubt about the main partners for the expedition.

Toyota Landcruiser is a synonym with off-roading and the first image that comes to mind are white liveried UN vehicles thrashing across the battlegrounds of the middle east and Africa. So it was delight to know that the company were to provide us with the flagship LC200, Landcruiser Prado, Fortuner and Innova for the duration of the expedition.

Then started the hunt for fuel sponsors, and thankfully this was much easier, for the Navy is a major customer of the Indian Oil Corporation. The management at IOC were approached and consented to cater to the car’s thirst (which knowing the beasts, would be tremendous).

The toughest phase though was planning and finalising the route. Everyone had suggestions and pre-conceived notions. While some wanted to skip the desert in Rajasthan, others were not too keen to drive through some parts in the Bihar-Jharkand belt. Though one thing we all were keen was to drive to Khardung La; alas that was not to be as the dates of our expedition fell during the beginning of winters (we were to flag off from the historic Lion gate of the Naval Dockyard on 07 Nov).

Finally we decided on a route consisting of four legs, first being from Mumbai to Amritsar via Koteshwar – the westernmost point of mainland India – and Jaisalmer. Second leg took us through the enigmatic states of UP and Bihar uptill Kolkata. The return journey had us navigating the scenic eastern and western coasts, touching Pondicherry, Kanyakumari, Kochi and Goa. Each car was driven by a set of three officers from the Naval Dockyard with a core team of Bibin, self and PP Singh doing the complete circuit. The remaining officers changed after the completion of each leg, so as to provide the opportunity to a wider pool of personnel.

The expedition finally culminated on 04 Dec, which is “Navy day” celebrated to commemorate the decisive Naval victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war. Overall, it was an epic journey for all participants which taught us a lot about our diverse country, all the while involving a bit of fun with some extremely impressive machinery. The cars were simply mind-blowing in their ability to handle any terrain thrown at them, with even the Innova managing to rough it out to quite some extent.

Toyota’s fabled dependability and renowned customer support were certainly a boon to the expedition. Yes, there were hiccups as would be expected with such a long trip, but they were insignificant in the broader picture. Now I cannot wait to repeat such a trip, this time probably incorporating the extreme north and the eastern region of our country. I’m sure someone would need to celebrate the 276th anniversary of the Yard too!

ps: and hey if you liked this trip, check it out & vote on Cleartrip here



Great India Road Trip: Day 14

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Ok so after an extended hiatus, I’m back with my travelogue. Blame it on a couple of hectic weeks (read boring office + super exciting new year weekend), but thankfully now I’ve some time to spare (read vacation at my parent’s place). I left at the half way mark of our trip at Kolkata and that is right where we pick up from.

For those of you who are wondering where did “Day 13” of the trip vanish, the answer is not any superstitious reason, but that the much maligned “13th” day was conveniently a rest day at Kolkata, and nothing worth writing about happened there. Well, we started on our way towards Puri with a new crew, and what was to be the longest leg of our trip (please note that I now write all of this in lot of hindsight).

We received three warnings when leaving Kolkata and all three concerned a diversion we were to encounter before Kharagpur. Now are two ways from Kharagpur to Bhubaneshwar, one rough enough to shake the fillings out of your teeth, the other smooth enough to bore you to death. We ofcourse chose the lesser of the two evils and braved boredom rather than a visit to the dentist. Now the third warning was that the intersection where we would be faced with the choice of route was an extremely confusing one, and often people who chose one, ended up on the route not preferred.

Having been there I can vouch for the warning, it is confusing like hell. And that fact that road signs for both routes display exactly the same text does not help!!! Three cars turned one way, the fourth chose the other (and this was when we were travelling in a convoy). The lone car then turned back (on the one-way road mind you) to join the remaining three, only for all to realise that the lone car had actually made the right decision. So yet another wrong way U-turn  (and some off-roading) later, we returned to the correct (read smoother) route. Now for any of you who need to make the decision in future, when you come at the diversion before Kharagpur, continue straight to the underpass on the seemingly uninviting road and do not be tempted by the attractive curving diversion towards left. The diversion, like most attractive (and curvaceous) things, would only flatter to deceive and lead you to the rougher of the two routes.

Well West Bengal scenery had nothing much to write about, and entering Orissa things didn’t seem to change much. The highways in both states were definitely not as well endowed as those of the western or northern belt, though the eastern state obviously had better infrastructure than Orissa. Finding good eating joints was not easy either and even when we found one, the food was nothing to write home about.

Our plan was to reach the Sun Temple at Puri right before sunset and enjoy the breathtaking views it has to offer. Sadly that was not to be courtesy some enthusiastic photo-stops we had enroute (come on, it was the first day for most of the crew, so they were reasonably excited). In any case the roads approaching Puri did not help being a sad state highway, narrow and littered with village traffic, which meant average speeds were hardly above 40kmph. So we made it to the temple much after sunset, but the illuminated structure looked Legen – wait for it – Dary, to say the least. My pic above could be a testament to it I guess, I mean for those of you who can take your eyes off me in my awesomeness and notice the temple behind.

Right, enough of Barney Stinson (sorry but off late I just can’t get over HIMYM) but the temple did indeed look great. Our guide opened our eyes to some really promiscuous details of our forefathers and also their architectural innovativeness. Ofourse he served us with the clichéd and fabled stories about the magnet on top which supposedly held the structure together and how the British messed with it and blah, blah, blah……but overall a visit which was definitely worth every minute.

But better was to follow. As we made our way to the pious city of Puri, onwards to a road named “Marine Drive” (now that felt like home), we were to be treated with the most stunning road I’ve ever driven on. With the sea for company just on our left and the moonlight cantering along the waves matching us for pace, the atmosphere was purely magical. The cherry on the cake was the stunning tarmac, which though narrow, was traffic free and had just the right amount of turns to keep the keen driver enthralled. But wait-a-minute, it does not end there. The route passes briefly through a wildlife sanctuary, and while it was too late to spot any fauna, the overhanging branches of trees made a canopy over the road, making it feel like driving through a tunnel. The branches also played tricks with the headlights to create some brilliant illusions, and while the overall effect was haunting, it was delightful nonetheless.

I wished the 30 odd kilometres would never end, but sadly they did and steered us right into the chaotic city which was like being dropped from the lap of Katrina Kaif to that of Rakhi Sawant. Meandering through the boisterous crowd we navigated to our hotel and peace was restored at last. We were fortunate to check into a quaint little place, towards the end of the crowded road, yet right across the beach which meant we could do some beach-roading the next day, but more on that later.

So overall an interesting drive – mainly due to the last 30 kms – and a nice start to the leg. From here we were to move on to Vishakapatnam the next day, touching the largest salt water lake “Chilka” enroute. Our Orissa stay then was to be quite brief, but very eventful nonetheless. And that eventfulness will come out in my next post. So till next time adios and drive safe……..and gimme a “virtual five” (OK enough of Barney for now).

Great India Road Trip: Day 12

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Bodh Gaya rose to a slightly chilly morning and taking over the Fortuner’s wheel I was for once tempted to the charms of being chauffeured in a car. But my inner instinct would not make me leave the driver’s seat and I could always catch up on sleep later in the day. Early morning is definitely a rewarding time to drive as there is little traffic and the fresh air makes one feel a little more alive. Also I was driving the Fortuner for the first time in the trip, so that slight novelty factor was there to keep my spirits high.

Now where do I start to praise the pure pleasure that the vehicle is. LC200 may be a full crore dearer than the Fortuner, may have innumerable creature comforts and (above all) bragging rights, but when it comes to the pure pleasure of driving, none of the cars we had beats the Fortuner. The steering is as precise as it can be for a SUV and the seats are superb. The entire feel of driving it on fast curving roads is just priceless (mind you am comparing it with SUVs here not with sedans/hatchbacks).

The more I drove the more I fell in love with the car. Yes the manual box seemed a slight discomfort after driving the autos for so long, but then the involvement factor is so much higher that even shifting the box feels like a boon. The seating position is very nice and I feel the other cars cannot begin to compete with it in the looks department. Infact I feel the Fortuner is the most attractive SUV in India, with maybe only the Captiva coming close.

However looks is not all this beauty is about, cause take it off road and she can turn into a total animal. The butch looks then, with flared wheel arches, air duct on the hood etc are not purely cosmetic as it makes easy meal of broken roads, inclines and the little slush we had to wade through. Yes it definitely cannot match the Landcruisers in pure off road ability, but in day to day driving and the little off-roading that owners might do (personally I don’t think these vehicles evefr leave the tarmac in our country) it is more than capable to deal with what is thrown at it.

Anyways this is a travelogue and so I must refrain from making it a Fortuner road test (in any case Toyota is not paying me any anything to do that). But one last word, the Fortuner is a steal for its price, and pretty much has no competition, now only if Toyota can improve the center console and dashboard which seem from a bygone era.

Returning to the tarmac, we were back on the GT road were treated to the pleasures of the previous day. But soon we headed into Jharkhand and as expected the roads deteriorated. It seems the NHAI could not continue the good job they have done turning around the road infrastructure in UP and Bihar to Jharkhand. The four lane pleasures dissolved to a normal two lane road (albeit sufficiently broad). Also potholes returned to haunt the suspension and frequent towns ensured there was enough traffic on the road to keep speeds low.

The state also had no other sights on offer to make note off, except for maybe slightly more impoverished countryside. As we entered West Bengal – one of the last remaining communist strong holds in the country – the conditions did not improve much. Yes the pot holes reduced and speeds increased slightly, but the road could not be compared with the luxuries of the previous day.

A new feature was the sign boards, which for the first time on the trip were illegible to me, being obviously in Bengali. Even then finding the way to the “city of joy” did not prove tough and we made decent progress till we hit the outer edges of India’s oldest metro. I’ve always found Kolkata to be a maze and a cauldron of constant chaos with innumerable people milling around, fighting for their share of the tarmac among trams, buses, taxis and hand-drawn rickshaws. The rickshaws and trams are definitely unique to the city, but in my opinion do not make for a good sight (neither good for traffic).

But the city drips of heritage at every corner, be it the buildings, the yellow Amby taxis or the general local dress up. Being the most populous city of the nation, every inch of space is hard fought and that adds to the vintage feel. So do the local traffic policemen, their white uniform reminiscent of days gone by, and their ubiquity at intersections is also something not generally seen in today’s metros.

Kolkata also has innumerable one ways which follow an unique system of reversing direction with time. This makes navigation a total b***h and even our GPS navigator was baffled trying to reroute at every junction, only to find its efforts have gone in vain as the next road is blocked. I’ve never driven in more confusing traffic and the narrow streets got us totally lost. We kept going round and round in the same area till finally someone had to come from our hotel and guide us to the place.

Tomorrow will be a rest day and thereafter a new team joins us for the next leg of our travel. This roughly marks the halfway stage of our trip, and so far thankfully, things have stayed well (except for minor hiccups). Now we start travelling south towards Kanyakumari and the cuisine etc will change drastically, but am quite excited about the coastal drives. Day after we head to Puri which does not promise much on the face of it, but still more on Kolkata and Puri in my next post, till then adios and drive safe :)

Great India Road Trip: Day 11

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Day 11 started from where we left off the earlier evening. Well I do not mean the same location (that much is obvious), but in high spirits. As I wrote in my earlier post, the accommodation was top notch and hence the serene surroundings and nice beds gave us the much needed rest, so an early start was not as much a discomfort as otherwise.

But we were headed into the uncertainty that is Bihar and had received numerous warnings / suggestions / advice on how to tackle this stretch of our journey. However I think most people were being plain paranoid, and all that concerned me was how would the asphalt be through the state. Thankfully getting out of Kanpur city proved to be much less trickier than getting into it. The exit took us straight to the end of the legendary flyover that had so troubled us the previous night.

I was back in the Innova for the day and after so long in much bigger vehicles, the most popular MPV in the country seemed a little short on comfort (though not short on space). The Innova provided to us is the top end version and that means its get two bucket seats in the rear instead of the cheaper and more favoured three seater bench. I really wonder on this strange strategy by Toyota, which might have suited a sedan, but is a bit baffling for a MPV.

GT Road / NH2 is absolutely mind blowing. It definitely is the best road I’ve driven on in our country till date. Absolutely pristine, it almost feels unused. Which it indeed maybe as it was not mapped on our GPS navigation device. The area we were driving on was being shown as marshland, which does not speak too good of mapmyindia‘s detailing. However the device has been immaculate till now and maybe this road was indeed newly inaugurated.

Well if so then we surely felt privileged to be driving on such a superb piece of tarmac in a state where we expected only broken roads and constant diversions. The road’s pleasures did not end just at the smooth tarmac, but extended in sweeping curves, wonderful crests and delightful bankings. What a pleasure then it was to be cruising on it in any vehicle, and also a big boost to the state that is much vilified for its lack of infrastructure.

The road encouraged us to talk up cars and fortunately I had an excellent driver/co-pilot with me for the day. Cdr Mukherjee was a new face to me and he was an absolute encyclopedia about roads and vehicles. I had a great time discussing various cars and road trips (both India and abroad) and he certainly gave me a few new ideas. His St Petersburg-Helsinki road trip is stuck in my mind (though I personally think I need to do the London-Istanbul one first).

The road took us to Bihar but continued to stay as pristine as ever. However it was quite axiomatic looking around how deprived the state is. Almost every vehicle (irrespective of size) was duly overloaded with people/cattle/goods sticking out of every corner and stacked on the roof. The surroundings though more picturesque than UP or Gujrat, certainly painted a bleak picture in tune with the demographics of the area.

My view got more support as we left the national highway and detoured towards Bodh Gaya. The state highway though by no means dilapidated, did pass through towns which could see better days. The people seemed baffled to see four strange looking vehicles, cause most vehicles plying were archaic jeeps / locally assembled four wheelers with an occasional Mahindra Scorpio thrown in (probably of the local politico/hoodlum).

As the state highway meandered through these towns and headed deeper into Bihar I could notice the lack of any agriculture (industries I did not expect). I certainly am not very knowledgeable in this subject, however I guess most of Bihar’s income comes from the rich mineral deposits of the state. But to see so much land lying desolate was concerning. Maybe better irrigation and education in future would propel the people and land towards prosperity.

Forgive my preachings, but having being warned so much about the state, I was bound to read more into everything. Though I must say we were fortunate and never once encountered even the remotest of any trouble passing through Bihar. The people are impoverished, but not all are bloodthirsty vandals.

Bodh Gaya proved to be the little town we had expected it to be, but surprisingly had an abundance of hotels. Most would not qualify for any stars on a Lonely Planet guidebook, but a few were in acceptable condition. Frankly looking at the visage of most hotels I was extremely concerned as to where had we been booked, but to my (and I guess mostly everyone’s) relief we checked into a neat little place, with all necessities and even a few luxuries.

Evening again called for us to meet the old monks and spiritually enjoy the place. There was no dearth of the more honourable and real life monks as well, with many a Buddhists flocking the town for obvious reasons. But we again had a early start the next day and that meant I could not explore the little town.

Tomorrow we start for the end of Leg 2 and will reach the easternmost point of our little journey. Am no big fan of Kolkata, but am looking forward to meeting a friend and cousin, so a rest day would not be bad. We pass through Jharkhand, and while that is supposed to be worse than Bihar, this time am not having any pre-conceived notions in my mind. I’ll take the day and roads as they come, so till next time adios and drive safe :)

Great India Road Trip: Day 10

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The three day halt at Delhi was enough to refresh body, soul and spirit (well may not be body considering the late nights spent in high spirits) and we got back on the road with yet another uncomfortable early start. The crew had changed over in Amritsar, so we now had many new faces.

There was a little sad feeling about leaving Delhi, but it was far exceeded by the excitement for the new route. I was back in the LC200, which though back from repairs, was yet to prove itself in the testing grounds of the Indian highways. And a tough test certainly lay ahead in the form of the roads and traffic of Uttar Pradesh as we headed to Kanpur, with an enroute halt at Agra to visit the timeless Taj Mahal.

An early morning start might be inconvenient, but the obvious gain is in exiting the city in a jiffy. Without frustrating traffic and traffic light delays, the sublime roads of Delhi could be crossed in a matter of minutes. Also one gets to see the lower belly of any metropolis with newspapermen, milkmen etc readying up to provide basic services that run our daily lives, yet which we take for granted.

The route from Delhi to Agra must be one of the most frequented ones by Indian and foreign nationals alike because of the Taj Mahal, and so one would assume the government to ensure it in the least resembles the autobahns / freeways of the western nations (all the more so since the city does not have an airport). Sadly it turns out that this is one of the most decrepit stretches of tarmac one can drive on, and the NHAI maybe is not a big fan of the marble monument. Someone told me that the Jaypee group are building a state of the art expressway from Noida till Agra, and am hoping like hell for it to come up soon.

But even if that happens the state govt will still have a big job at hand ferrying the tourists from the highway exit till the white wonder. Because if the highway stretch is poor, the approach road to the Taj is beyond words. I was sure we had taken the wrong route as the road to such a significant monument cannot be in the tatters it is. But that seems to be the only route to the Taj and it is a perfect example of the alacrity with which the state govt abdicates responsibility.

Unfortunately I could not get to see the great monument as we were not comfortable leaving the vehicles in the shambles that the parking was. Someone needed to stay back and I was “chosen” for it, considering my love for the mechanical marvels. In any case I had seen it before, so some nice music in the LC200 did not hurt.

Which reminds me I’ve not spoken about the audio in any vehicle. Toyota has done a remarkable job with the Innova and Fortuner’s audio system, but seems to have lost the plot with the Prado. While the first two are an audio delight, Prado seems to have too much bass with not much on offer in the other freq bands. The LC200′s JBL Synthesis is in a totally different world – or rather takes you in a different world. Pure musical bliss may describe the experience. However one nagging issue is that none of the vehicles, other than the Prado have USB/aux support. This is shocking considering in today’s day and age these are not considered luxuries but basic needs. If anyone in Toyota is reading this, please rectify this AT THE EARLIEST.

If I was shocked till now, I was mistaken, cause as soon as we left Agra and rejoined NH2, we found ourselves on a supremely wonderful road, in every sense. Broad, smooth, good dividers, nice boards, the works. It begged the question, what was NHAI thinking when they ignored Delhi-Agra. Maybe they really do despise the Taj, else I’m fluxommed to think of a logical reason for the gaffe (maybe infighting between state & central govts).

Returning to NH2, it far surpassed any road we had driven till then (except for the Vadodra-Ahmedabad expressway) and we could easily maintain very high average speeds without taking any risks. One thing lacking compared to the NH8 are decent eating joints. We could find none of the standards of the Mumbai-Delhi highway, and maybe that is due to the economic condition of UP or the lesser amount of traffic on this stretch.

Just before Kanpur we hit the legendary Grand Trunk road which is today the NH2. Our GPS guiding equipment told us not to take the GT road flyover, but it seemed very inviting (especially as the other entry to the city was clogged with traffic). We were confident of a exit from the flyover at some location, and the route even if a few kilometers longer, was sure to save us time.

Little did we know that the flyover was the most idiotically designed one ever. It did not have even a single exit for the next 20kms (at which point we turned back) and it was frustration at its peak when we kept going forever while Kanpur city disappeared on our left. When we did turn back, it meant an extra 40km trip and finally we had to take the clogged route (though by then it was much better). And to make it worse the city route pretty much hugged the fly over all the way, making us wonder why in god’s name did the designers not provide a couple of ptactical exits.

So here is a tip, if any of you want to enter Kanpur city from Agra side (god only knows why you would want to do that), DO NOT TAKE THE GT ROAD FLY OVER (however inviting it may seem). Once in, the city driving felt like playing mortal combat – with two fingers, while dancing on hot coals. If ever someone wants to live the phrase ‘baptism by fire’, drive a Landcruiser in peak Kanpur traffic.

Frankly I do not have the skills to describe the traffic (I would not say traffic sense, cause obviously there was none of it on display), only that we made it out alive, with no dents on any vehicle, and I now want to meet Mr Ecclestone to get a shot at a F1 driver superlicense. After Kanpur, I guess that would be a piece of cake.

The day ended on a good note as the accommodation booked for us was top notch. Lovely place, wonderful rooms and even better food – with lipsmacking desserts. All then is well that ends well (with desserts). Meeting with an old and very dear friend added to the already boisterous atmosphere and the early start the next day seemed to be of little importance.

So a mixed bag of a day, but positive overall. Tomorrow we head to the historic and pious city of Bodh Gaya, through the tumultuous state of Bihar. But for now let me sleep in peace and happiness and till next time adios and drive safe :)

Great India Road Trip: Day 6

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Day 6 began really early. A 5am start required waking up at an extremely inconvenient hour and ensured none of the rest of the team could give us a farewell (well we could wake them up for it, but then it would have become a painful farewell). The excitement quotient though was high about heading to Delhi and the sweet chill in the air definitely lifted my spirits.

Heading out of Sri Ganganagar we entered Punjab and the mercury dipped to 10 degrees. The LC200′s climate control kept us comfortably cocooned from the climatic vagaries, but even in these cold climes one could see the rich Punjab fields, overflowing with crops. Also the locals were much bulkier compared to the almost emaciated people in Rajasthan. The latter fact may have nothing to due with economic strength, more the genetic makeup due to the difference in climes and food.

The road infrastructure though is definitely below par compared to both Gujrat and Rajasthan and that definitely was a shock considering the amount of agricultural trade that passes through them. I was informed that Punjab is littered with ubiquitous “thekas” (liquor shops) always accompanied with tandoori chicken outlets. However on the stretch we drove, I could not find many of them, only a few which I guess were pretty average for any state.

The drive through Punjab was short lived and brought us onward to Haryana, the enigmatic land of the ebullient jats. First thing I noticed was the sudden increase in the density of cattle sauntering across roads. However with time the cattle were also joined by all sorts of vehicles, 2, 3 and 4 wheelers, contraptions made in backyard garages (or junkyards) and driven with alarming disdain to other structures (moving or stationary ) on the road. The roads themselves were not in their prime and such imaginative driving ensured I could not catch up on sleep even in the rear seat.

Haryana merges into Delhi with no demarcation, and uniformity in chaos, cattle and candour (in relation to expression of anger). The village of Najafgarh may have given the country one of its most destructive batsman, but the country definitely has not retrained the favour in any manner. That is the entry point to the capital, and maybe is strategically designed as a deterrent to people hoarding Delhi in huge numbers.

But all the above is forgotten as soon as one enters Gurgaon. Probably one of the best planned townships in the country, Gurgaon’s road infrastructure is sublime in stretches and a breeze to navigate through. Yes its a complete concrete jungle and people living there may not know how a tree/plant look like or what is their function, but still it provided a breather after Najafgarh.

As soon as we entered Delhi, there was this constant hurry because the plans for the evening were already in motion and I desperately needed a break to get the day’s drive out of my head. Most people say that Delhi is mind numbingly complex to navigate, but I quite feel the contrary. Of all the Indian cities, I feel Delhi’s got the best sign boards, huge, frequent and legible. So one is never lost for long, and navigating to prominent areas is a breeze. And what cannot be doubted is the quality of roads, which I’ve to agree with a heavy heart, are better even than Mumbai.

But all those good roads and effective road signs have not been able to instill the kind of driving sense in the locals, as is found in Mumbai and Bangalore. Cutting across lanes is routine and over-speeding is not rare either. Though thankfully there is adequate respect for red lights and the people are patient when entering round abouts.

I will not write much about Delhi here cause I have to devote an entire post to that. This also brings an end to the first phase of our drive. We also have the first crew changeover (apart form the permanent members) and I get to acclimatise to new faces. The road ahead leads us through probably the riskiest route in the entire drive, through the states of UP and Bihar. Roads are expected to be uniformly bad and definitely infested with incessant traffic.

So the first leg was quite pleasant, except for the few mechanical troubles (which I feel are inevitable). This was also through the part of the country I was most acquainted with, yet provided many novel experiences and taught me lots. The best experience was driving through Rjasthan and worst through Haryana (purely a personal opinion) and now after a brief reprieve we continue ahead towards the literary capital of the country, Kolkata. This stretch is relatively new to me and hence I am a bit excited about it, but will have to wait for the next post for it. So till next time adios and drive safe :)