[hvkumar]

Congrats, hrag, how did you tolerate the sight of the Scorpio *** all these 6 days - that itself ranks as a big achievement. I am bored now of seeing all those photos with the Scorpio in the frame. Changing Moods in the Day of a Scorpio - that is what the captions should read!

[hvkumar]

Replying to Ramky's Q on the rivers, the major rivers we crossed were:

- River Krishna, near Kolhapur
- River Tapi, at Surat
- River Narmada, at Bharuch
- River Yamuna, at Agra
- River Ganga, at Allahabad, and Varanasi
- River Mahanadi, at Cuttack

[smsrini]

Originally Posted by khan_sultan

That's true. mjothi is such a happy & cheerful character. Infact we should name him 'happy mjothi'. I am sure he would make a wonderful 'cheerleader' in any of the IPL teams .

Three cheers for 'Happy Joe Reporter' cheers:cheers:cheers:

[mjothi]

Originally Posted by smsrini

Three cheers for 'Happy Joe Reporter' cheers:cheers:cheers:

Only 2 smileys please

[mjothi]

Some more pics

The most RELAXED ride on earth. These people put down the rear seat and was happily sitting as if sitting on the floor.


We also saw an Ambi with 7 guys, yes! 4 in rear seat and 3 in front seat. Guys anyone has pics of that?

People said JBL Twin evil had most expensive ICE until they saw this!!!


"What can I say if you ask me about this???" - No, not me, the guy in pics


The BOSS - behind the wheel.


One of the million dollar shot - See how happy HVK is!!!


Save OIL - Tow twins


We drive on wrong side. It holds true for helmet law too!!!


Somewhere on NH2. Lol


True Horse power


Sun set before reaching Allahabad.








These are taken when we are on the right extreme of the road to overcome those messy traffic jam of lorries before we enter Allahabad.




Hotel we stayed in Allahabad.


Get the contact details from here!!!

[mjothi]

Day 5:

Except for Hrag, we all were down and waiting for him to join. It was 5am. HVK was arranging the things inside the scorpio, our ramkya wanted to clean the rear windshield. That is when all this started

Ramky wanted to clean, but HVK is like why, I am fine with that and can drive as such. Our guy is so enthu that he wanted to clean the scorpio windshield. Me & DMP (Dirty minded prof. Khan, lol) was watching this. Suddenly the target shifted to us. Added to that, Hrag was still not down from room.

We tried our best to keep HVK warm due to the very cold climate over there. But all in vein. So, I just left to call Hrag. The moment he is out from toilet, I inform him to come down asap and take his safari key.

I come down, open the lock for Safari, and moment later I see our Khan sitting inside the Safari. He literally jumped into the vehicle and hide himself in.

Meanwhile, we see that our ramky has got some old newspaper and sincerly cleaning the rear wind shield. Then Scorpio reverses with those little affected eyes.

We count each seconds and at last, hrag arrives. He gets in. But since DICOR needs a one min idle time before it rolls, that one min went in real silent.

Then its time to hit the road. Both the vehicle gets on the GQ and start to move.

While moving on the NH5, at one point there is marking for only left. The straight was not marked. After this straight the NH5 turns to be NH60.

The left said 2 places, Mumbai and other one??

Our HVK took the one on the left. It went over the bridge and the boards started mentioning about the distance for the Mumbai. For a moment we all thought that we pissed him off too much and he is signing back to Mumbai.

Then we recognised that it was by mistake and he did a big U-turn on a circle and joined back to the NH5. Then took the straight and started moving on NH60.

After all this we cross orissa and enter Andra border. The scene was totally different. Everywhere we see Hanuman Statue. All colorful cinema posters, "train dance movies" as told by HVK, etc.

It was around 7:30 when we started to enter Visakapatanam. Since Hrag was tired, we decided to stop for the night there. We were slowly rolling the vehicle inside the city of visakapatnam in search of hotel, and could not find any.

So, we just kept continuing and managed to get a hotel in Anakapali. Its called Vijay hotel. This was also difficult to find. Anyway atlast, we check in there, had dinner and went to bed.

Then the story of unusable flush, repair work etc came up. Anyway, we just managed to lock the door and go to sleep.

[snaronikar]

Yeah...u are right mj, when you enter to AP, you can come across lots of hanuman statues/temples. I have seen this myself. Looks like lots of followers of hanuman in AP.

[blip]

Awesome travelogue guys !. I had always wanted to become a truck driver...no seriously guys ! so as to just roam the highways .. With such good roads like GQ coming up the dream has only intensified . unfortunately i am stuck being a technology coolie

[Mpower]

Wow! that was quite a drive. Would like to do it someday (at a more leisurely pace)

I myself just returned from a 3000 mile trip to Florida and I can't fathom how you guys did it without cruise control or DVD players.

What was your cruising speed? Between the two which was the more suitable one for things like engine noise, wind noise, ride comfort, FE, seat comfort, handling etc etc.
You learn a lot of things about a vehicle when you go on a non-stop drive like this.

[khan_sultan]

Originally Posted by Mpower

.... I can't fathom how you guys did it without cruise control or DVD players.

He he he.. HVK's scorpio didn't even have a music system. In the safari we literally abused & trashed the A.R Rahman & some 50 hits CD's. Oh boy, we really didn't take care of bringing some music along.

..Between the two which was the more suitable one for things like engine noise, wind noise, ride comfort, FE, seat comfort, handling etc etc.
..

That part of the saga & debate will start after we finish Day6. Then we will start our feedback on the 2 SUV's -- all aspects, our learnings, etc etc..

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by Mpower

Wow! that was quite a drive. Would like to do it someday (at a more leisurely pace)

I myself just returned from a 3000 mile trip to Florida and I can't fathom how you guys did it without cruise control or DVD players.

What was your cruising speed? Between the two which was the more suitable one for things like engine noise, wind noise, ride comfort, FE, seat comfort, handling etc etc.
You learn a lot of things about a vehicle when you go on a non-stop drive like this.

My car does not have even a radio!

The pleasure of dodging the imponderables on Indian highways cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world, and I wouldn't enjoy a drive like this anywhere else in the world.

Cruising speeds were mostly 120 kmph by day, often down to 80-100 kmph in certain congested corridors.

For the Scorpio - what an engine! Quick acceleration, ease in overtaking and non-stop enthusiasm

For the Safari (hrag being the better judge) - real First Class in comfort, but very sluggish in comparison

[mjothi]

Originally Posted by Mpower

I myself just returned from a 3000 mile trip to Florida and I can't fathom how you guys did it without cruise control or DVD players.

DVD Players? What is that? Scorpio had a old casette player that too was not working

Oh, cruise control, the cheapest we can get is the red brick That is what I have heard about these highways cruisers - the truck people.

May be our HVK will be able to give precise info, because he is consultant for truck driver too.

Man, imagine this. You stop at the Marathahalli bridge, bangalore and enjoy the excitment of completing the circle @ 11:45 night.

A truck comes and stops behind your vehicle, guy drops out from there.

Heads straight to HVK and asks

"Saab, NH4 kaise jana hai?"

Thats the power of HVK, these truck guys smell him somehow whereever he is!

Originally Posted by Mpower

What was your cruising speed? Between the two which was the more suitable one for things like engine noise, wind noise, ride comfort, FE, seat comfort, handling etc etc.
You learn a lot of things about a vehicle when you go on a non-stop drive like this.

Wait wait, that's the next section coming sooner.

samples
Scorpio going in around 120kmph, suddenly reports brakes are working!!!

Safari heading to a standing lorry!!!


non-stop? Yes, non-stop between two stops

[headers]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

For the Scorpio - what an engine! Quick acceleration, ease in overtaking and non-stop enthusiasm

For the Safari (hrag being the better judge) - real First Class in comfort, but very sluggish in comparison

Wow, thats a nice comparo! Look forward to more of that, but let it not become a debate / bragging point please!

[Blue Thunder]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

...The pleasure of dodging the imponderables on Indian highways cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world, and I wouldn't enjoy a drive like this anywhere else in the world....

Words of wisdom never sounded sweeter ...I agree 100%, hvkumar. It is these imponderables that make driving in India so much fun.

[khan_sultan]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

.... For the Scorpio - what an engine! Quick acceleration, ease in overtaking and non-stop enthusiasm

For the Safari (hrag being the better judge) - real First Class in comfort, but very sluggish in comparison

Originally Posted by headers

Wow, thats a nice comparo! Look forward to more of that, but let it not become a debate / bragging point please!

He he he.. we did this non stop over 6 days.. just wait till that part of the story starts. It will be fun. enough data points for these 2 SUV's now -- driving 6k Kms over 6 days on same stretch side by side.