5009 KMS-A'bad-Calicut-Bangy-Hyd-Aur'Bad-A'Bad-Report

[kutlee]

Wonderful ramkya. That's a great journey. HVK never stops to help you. Ellora looks net.
I too had the similar experience while driving from Blore to Hyd. the horizon got dark at aroud 5. then it rained like i have never seen before. The whole vastness was covered with clouds. It was just like someone lifted the whole ocean and then dumped it. It was crazy. I thought my car doors will leak and rubber beadings will give way. I have seen crzy rainy seasons in Kerala. But this one beat it all. All the trucks and vehichles stopped. Couple of cars were goind dead slow. I kept good speeds at about 60kmph. Water was splashing over the wind screen. I was partially sumberged. I was doing underwater cruising. slightly scared that water might eneter the air filter. the whole world stopped and i was crazy driving. I was literally crazy. holding the steering wheel tight. the dunlop did a wonderful job keeping me on the ground. the road work made the water on the road red and muddy. who cares. drove rally style. wife enjoying the lightnings (she told she will never forget the sight).
Kid snoring in the back seat.
back to real world...nice travelouge. I have very less info on satnav. Are you using satnav, gps? which make? cost?

[ramkya1]

Hai Kutlee,

Thanks.

Yes, HVK is one of a kind.

You too...... on 12th?.

I didn't dare to speed, my drums and disks were wet and slippery and back wheels had no purchase, had to be careful about those rim-breakers coming up under the water. The down-sides of the switch backs were tea-coloured rivlets... it sure was crazy driving.

I have Satguide latest maps, now with 26 cities, on my PDA HTC 3300 with an external GPS receiver. The whole bundle cost me 22 K when I bought it 18 months back, original version had only 6 cities. I upgraded to 26 city map in May, 08, for Rs.2000/-, no regrets. This is very good, all the cities are pretty well detailed, all tourist sports are good and Hyderabad city map is spot on.

You can explore for options with this address:

Shoban Babu T
SatNav Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
203, lake shore towers, Raj Bhavan Road
Somajiguda, Hyderabad-82.
Mobile: 9963999953
040-66777333 extn:343
SatNav Technologies takes Navigation Solutions to the Mass Market

Happy Driving,

--Ramky

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Originally Posted by kutlee

Wonderful ramkya. That's a great journey. HVK never stops to help you. Ellora looks net.
I too had the similar experience while driving from Blore to Hyd. the horizon got dark at aroud 5. then it rained like i have never seen before. The whole vastness was covered with clouds. It was just like someone lifted the whole ocean and then dumped it. It was crazy. I thought my car doors will leak and rubber beadings will give way. I have seen crzy rainy seasons in Kerala. But this one beat it all. All the trucks and vehichles stopped. Couple of cars were goind dead slow. I kept good speeds at about 60kmph. Water was splashing over the wind screen. I was partially sumberged. I was doing underwater cruising. slightly scared that water might eneter the air filter. the whole world stopped and i was crazy driving. I was literally crazy. holding the steering wheel tight. the dunlop did a wonderful job keeping me on the ground. the road work made the water on the road red and muddy. who cares. drove rally style. wife enjoying the lightnings (she told she will never forget the sight).
Kid snoring in the back seat.
back to real world...nice travelouge. I have very less info on satnav. Are you using satnav, gps? which make? cost?

[kutlee]

Lovely Ramky. will check out the satnav. I need a device since my phone doesn't have GPS. Is it better to have phone with GPS or a seperate GPS?
I am tempted to visit Ellora.
I was driving on 31st May not on 12th June.

[ramkya1]

Originally Posted by kutlee

Lovely Ramky. will check out the satnav. I need a device since my phone doesn't have GPS. Is it better to have phone with GPS or a seperate GPS?
I am tempted to visit Ellora.
I was driving on 31st May not on 12th June.

2 days @ Aurangabad would be OK; Old Shiva Temple, Ellora + Bibi-Ka Makbara + Pan Chakki one day and another for Lonar Lake + Ajanta. I had Only one day and omitted Ajanta.

My sense is to go for a PDA + GPS receiver seperately. Reasons;
* I tend to use the GPS only on long drives, rest of the time the phone and PDA are useful. My PDA has WM 5 and is very fast compared to WM6, which uses up all the RAM and slows the mobile down, its a pain.

I think Nokia mobiles + GPS + map softwares are evolving fast, but reportedly the maps are not as good as the Satguide ones.

Look up / talk to people using WB systems and also Symbians (Nokia) and decide.

Happy Hunting,

--Ramky

=======

[trrk]

Hi Ramki,

> YouTube - THRO A STROM ON NH 7- BANGY TO HYDERABAD 12-06-08

Nice and travelogue and good video.

When will the truckers learn that to allow overtaking they should switch on their left indicators?

It is sad to see even car owners bother to switch on their parking lights / dipped headlights in the rain or when it is relatively dark.

[smsrini]

Ramkya1,

Very interesting travelouge. I guess the rain played spoilsport to an otherwise enjoyable drive, esp. between Bangalore and Hyderabad.

From your video, the traffic on NH7 looks more than what I've experienced. Is this stretch between Kurnool and Hyderabad ?

Your experience with the GPS is tempting me to invest in one!!

cheers!
Srini

[ramkya1]

Hai Trrk,

Thanks for that one.

The truckers are an awful lot, they just stick to the centre lane with no way to overtake thro. left or right. On the video though, you'd find one trucker has some sense, he had the hezard lights on, otherwise most others did not even have their park lights on!!!


Srini,

Thanks.

The section on the video is between Kurnool and Hyderabad, just after Peebru, 170 Kms before Hyderabad. The rains started somewhere before Jachiralla and lasted till outers of Hyderabad.

--Ramky.

[theMAG]

Great travelog. This is what SUVs are meant for.

[Torqy]

@ramky: Great report.
Are you from Palakkad? I grew up in Palakkad....Chittur to be precise.

[ramkya1]

Hai Torqy, Thanks.

Yes, true blue Palakkad, from town, lots of relatives all over Kerala, deep roots still there.



Hai Mag, Thanks.

Agree with you 100%, long hauls are a breeze on a SUV.

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[kutlee]

I have seen the storm video. This looks like a twister. the coulds swirling around. driving 100kms though heavy rain is defenitely testing. you have got good nerves. I think you would have forgotten everything once you had the biriyani.
Blore Hyd is most boring 650 kms you can drive. There is nothing but a vast expanse. hills look beautiful. no good towns (except the Kurnool), no good facilities. except one BP pump in Gooty, no industires or anything worth entertaining while driving, and all rpobability of having a bent rim (cars). I have learned that it was much worse 4 years ago. the roads are also bad due to road widening. Altogether real bore.
Do you remember seeing a huge temple in the shape of a chariot? I just remember that and the Gooty pump. nothing else. its better if you have a driver and take some rest in the back seat.

[shankar.balan]

Well Done Ramky
Lovely travelogue and excellent pictures
Good that you had a peaceful fly-through Bangalore!
Rohit - good show buddy - thanks for helping our pal Ramky navigate through BLR.

[mansidea]

Excellent write up Ramky. Amazing pictures too. As somebody said, your travelogues can be kept as a reference when you take the same route. Never tried something this big on 4 wheels & this is great inspiration.

Originally Posted by ramkya1

Something important did happen' met Manoj, "Man's Idea" and his White Scorp @ his office in Trichur. Had a quick tet-a-tet with him, he was sure excited about the Monsoon Drive that was brewing thick on 14th.

Thanks for taking the pain to drop into my office. It was pleasure meeting you & wife.

Now let me go through the initial threads to get the complete picture of your trip.

[ramkya1]

Hai Kutlee,

The Biriyani were melting...... great ones.

Have a picture of the temple and a Huge Hanuman just after that.... and some pictures of break-inspectors too attaching herewith.

Originally Posted by kutlee

I have seen the storm video. This looks like a twister. the coulds swirling around. driving 100kms though heavy rain is defenitely testing. you have got good nerves. I think you would have forgotten everything once you had the biriyani.
Blore Hyd is most boring 650 kms you can drive. There is nothing but a vast expanse. hills look beautiful. no good towns (except the Kurnool), no good facilities. except one BP pump in Gooty, no industires or anything worth entertaining while driving, and all rpobability of having a bent rim (cars). I have learned that it was much worse 4 years ago. the roads are also bad due to road widening. Altogether real bore.
Do you remember seeing a huge temple in the shape of a chariot? I just remember that and the Gooty pump. nothing else. its better if you have a driver and take some rest in the back seat.

[ramkya1]

Hai Manoj, Happy to have met you......

Yes, the trip logs are accurate and would be very useful if you are traveling the path, gives you exact KMS and also approx. time taken to travel.

========

Originally Posted by mansidea

Excellent write up Ramky. Amazing pictures too. As somebody said, your travelogues can be kept as a reference when you take the same route. Never tried something this big on 4 wheels & this is great inspiration.



Thanks for taking the pain to drop into my office. It was pleasure meeting you & wife.

Now let me go through the initial threads to get the complete picture of your trip.