Yes i am back on my workstation now. Okay as i said i stayed in Hotel corbelli and Route taken : Bangalore-Hosur-Krishnagiri-Thiruvannamalai-Gingee-Thindivanam-Pondy ( abt 320 kms).
So lets talk about the route first, there are lot of questions been asked about this route.
I started at 4:00 AM (i stay in north bangalore) crossed Infy at about 4:30 AM. I was at the toll gate towards Krishanagiri 4:50. road is excellent 4 lane highway, cannot ask more as it was still dark(Mid Nov) and drizzling. Did about 90km/hr. Took the left after the fly over at Krishnagiri (by pass) DO NOT take the second fly over which says chennai after turning left took next right towards Pondy. Huge sign borad you cannot miss it.
Road is single lane and potholed in patches, so it is advisable to drive during daylight, i was there at 5:30. Took a short tea break at one road side shak at 5:30 Traffic is really less, one odd lorry, so it is easy to manouver around some potholes. So almost did the entire patch without a thud. I have a swift dzire, suspensions are nice comfortable, only challenge is Headlights. I am not comfortable driving it on single lane Highway in dark. By the the way POT holes are not as much as they use to be in 2007-8. Road is much better, bit the problem is if most of the road is smooth and suddenly you get one Pot hole. Either you have to break hard or sway towards right, with on comming traffic it becomes risky, so i drive like 70/80, that way you have better control. Till Trivanamali road has some potholes, after crossing Thiruvannamalai road is better towards Ginge. So you can touch 100 also in patches, bit as the day breaks and Villigers /school kids start to use the same road. It is advisable to keep speed under 80. From Ginge to Tindivanam is also great streach, just watch out for few large creaters (they are not potholes). I guess the new road was made of weak material and caved in at few places, thanks to our over loaded lorries, so if you are at decent speed you can manage to take you car around those, which i did either way. After Tindivanam there is 4 lane highway being constructed, but presently only 2 lanes of the road is available. I think should be ready by 2010. I did about 100 on that road stretch of about 50KM. I reached Pondy at 11:00. I took the same route going back to Bangalore.
About Hotel Corbelli: Neat hotel remember to take rooms facing the road, ensure you book that when you call up the hotel. Staff only knows Tamil, people at reception can manage english. If you can take a deal without B/f it will be better, i paid 1350 including b/f.
Advantage of the hotel is that it is close and walkable from all POdy's fav areas like : Gandhi statue, French heritage area, good restaurants, and also has one Parking shed. Most of the hotels near the heritage area/market do not have parking. I was staying only one night here and rest at a resort, so really did not mind hotel being on the crowded street. It was on my wife's agenda to do shopping in pondy so had dedicated 14th Nov for that. Urfotunately it was raining in pody so there was no sunday market hence had to strike it off the agenda.
Let me know if you have any questions about the hotel or the route to Pondy from Bangalore.
Yes i stayed at Ginger in 2007, it was brand new then it was world class business hotel. You do not have room service etc. but really you will not mind. What do we carry, 2 handbags and a suitcase you can put it on to a trolley and take it up the elevator.
These days they have a package deal rs 2999(2 night and 3 days) with breakfast. Only down side is the location. NOT walkable from main action place in pondy, you have to take your car out every time.
Last edited by Jaggu : 18th November 2009 at 13:25.
Reason: Back to back posts, please EDIT the original post after its approved, if you want to add. thanks
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