Context:
Every Deepawali I visit my home town Ahmedabad. Take two weeks off. Drive to Ahmedabad. Spend 7-10 days with family and friends along with Deepawali celeberations. Drive back. May be via Goa, or Hampi. This has been a kind of routine for past three years.
This time was a little different. My Father In Law has reminded me many times that I have to visit him (Ajmer) during the Navaratri. And so a different plan has to be worked out.
Driving in your own car opens up many options. Some serious research starts on the possible routes that can be taken and possible destinations that can be explored. The idea of driving thru Ahmedabad (towards Ajmer) is a no no. It has been decided that we have to first visit Ajmer (not enroute NH8), then reach Ahmedabad; stay for some time and drive back to B'lore.
I had Chittaur on my wish list for quite some time. After some good amount of research, the route is finalized. And the destinations to be explored as well.
Route:
Bangalore - Pune: NH4 (850 Kilometers)
Pune - Nashik: NH50 (206 Kilometers)
Nashik - Indore: NH3 (396 Kilometers)
Indore - Ajmer: NH76/NH79 (510 Kilometers)
Ajmer - Chittaurgarh: NH79 (186 Kilometers)
Chittaurgarh - Ahmedabad: (NH79/NH8 385 Kilometers)
Ahmedabad - Bangalore: (NH8/NH4 1560 Kilometers)
Note: The distances mentioned above are not from my trip log. Destinations:
Tryambakeshwar Temple - Nashik
Maheshwar
Mahakaal Temple - Ujjain
Mehdi Khola Mata Temple - Ajmer
Chittaurgarh
Sanwariyaji Temple - Sanwariya
Etecetra: Journey start date: 1st October 2008, 3:00 pm
Journey end date: 17th October 2008, 4:00 am
Odo reading at the start of the journey: 35088
Odo reading at the end of the journey: 39603 (total distance: 4515 kilometers)
Vehicle: Fiat Adventure Sport
Occupants: Myself, Wife, Son, Parents, and My Aunt
(my son was 10 months old and my aunt 72 years) Rest of my family from Ahmedabad joined us at Chittaurgarh in Chevy Spark.
I will close this post with the picture below. This car took us thru some of good, better, and best roads during this trip. But more importantly it also tooks us thru some of the bad, worse, and worst roads
with an aplomb.
To be continued...