[bsdbsd]

Originally Posted by NPV

...
I was looking for an earlier post which @narayans80 had written up for me on my first drive to Chennai. This definitely is one of the best posts on this thread and I followed it down to the letter.

Link

Thanks NPV and narayans80. I will go through it today.

Originally Posted by narayans80

To add to binand's list, Vandalur Zoo

Its better to get Kanchipuram saree in Kanchipuram itself.
...

The writeup I wrote for NPV was for Hotel Palmgrove. Its actually the ideal place to stay for US Consulate...

5AM Bangalore start will land you in peak weekday Madras traffic

I have noted the change in route (+ added the zoo to the list). I will avoid mentioning Kanchipuram at home...guys...dont put me under trouble

Namma Bengaluru has equipped me with enough skills to negotiate any bad traffic in the world. Nothing can be worse than this city's traffic. Leaving earlier than 5AM is not an option as I avoid night driving whenever I can.

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

The last ~40 KM's towards Chennai is patchy road and along with truck traffic it is a pain, if you land up around office time you will have to deal with office shuttle buses too...

Thank you Suhas. Noted. Will let you all know how it goes.

BTW, I am worried about everyone of you being unaware of 'E Hotel' (Express Hotel?). I hope this hotel is not Tripadvisor's fictitious creation. There are some reviews as well. I will fall back on 'Hotel Palmgrove' if the said hotel does not exist (just kidding).

Here it is:

http://www.tripadvisor.com.ph/Hotel_...amil_Nadu.html

[binand]

Originally Posted by bsdbsd

Leaving earlier than 5AM is not an option as I avoid night driving whenever I can.

Bangalore and Hosur are pretty much part of the same urban area. You will have ample street lighting till you are beyond Hosur. In any case, the wide median with plants blocks pretty much all the high beams coming your way. I have done Chennai-Bangalore starting 6 PM from Chennai with no issues at all.

[bsdbsd]

Originally Posted by sswaroop

Just a suggestion, since you are visiting for the first time, it is better to have Google Maps for Chennai downloaded on your phone.

That's a neat suggestion. A helpful pointer about the OFC consulate co-ordinates as well. This whole Visa process is as unfriendly as it gets. But I am getting to see and show this great, historical city, and I am happy about it.

Originally Posted by binand

Bangalore and Hosur are pretty much part of the same urban area. You will have ample street lighting till you are beyond Hosur. In any case, the wide median with plants blocks pretty much all the high beams coming your way. I have done Chennai-Bangalore starting 6 PM from Chennai with no issues at all.

Based on your inputs above, I am advancing my travel by 30 mins. Would like to play it safe when family is on-board. Based on NPVs link to narayan80s thread, I see that you travel between these two cities quite often. Its the experience base of people like you encourage newbies to venture in to uncharted territories. Regards to all.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by bsdbsd

BTW, I am worried about everyone of you being unaware of 'E Hotel' (Express Hotel?). I hope this hotel is not Tripadvisor's fictitious creation. There are some reviews as well. I will fall back on 'Hotel Palmgrove' if the said hotel does not exist (just kidding).

Palmgrove is an excellent place, has an old world charm to it and lots of space around unlike the newer hotels with cramped parking spaces. This is owned by the group that also owns Ballal Residency in Bangalore. You can't go wrong with this place, especially since you're with family I would say a good choice instead of the other place.

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by bsdbsd

That's a neat suggestion. A helpful pointer about the OFC consulate co-ordinates as well. This whole Visa process is as unfriendly as it gets. But I am getting to see and show this great, historical city, and I am happy about it.



Based on your inputs above, I am advancing my travel by 30 mins. Would like to play it safe when family is on-board. Based on NPVs link to narayan80s thread, I see that you travel between these two cities quite often. Its the experience base of people like you encourage newbies to venture in to uncharted territories. Regards to all.

For my visa interview, I stayed in Hotel Sabari Inn in T Nagar.

[bsdbsd]

Originally Posted by NPV

Palmgrove is an excellent place....I would say a good choice instead of the other place.

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

For my visa interview, I stayed in Hotel Sabari Inn in T Nagar.

Did the mistake of not consulting t-bhpians earlier on this. Went ahead and booked at E-Hotel with the only criteria being near a mall, which will allow me to babysit the kids peacefully. Anyway, variety is good. In future, if my experience allows others to stay (or not) in this place, then my hurry in booking would have served some purpose.

BTW, while booking hotels online, please do research on multiple sites before you finalize. I got a neat discount of 3,500 Rs in Yatra over MakeMyTrip's final price of 8,800 INR.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by bsdbsd

Went ahead and booked at E-Hotel with the only criteria being near a mall

BSD, just checked their site and Tripadvisor reviews you had given. Looks like they are situated in the mall (which you can call them up and double check). The place a new kid in the block (< 2 years old), so not aware of it, reviews look excellent though. You'll have no dearth for food choices for sure. Do post your feedback after your stay.

Do ask the hotel if there is a separate entrance (most importantly separate parking) for the hotel patrons. The EA mall parking has 2nd most expensive parking charges

Also do take an auto/call taxi for the consulate visit. As finding a parking spot near consulate might take more time than spend at the consulate itself

[sswaroop]

Originally Posted by narayans80

Also do take an auto/call taxi for the consulate visit. As finding a parking spot near consulate might take more time than spend at the consulate itself

I second this. You can't park on Mount Road or on the road adjoining the consulate. But the queues when we went in June were pretty long. Despite reaching the place about an hour before the scheduled appointment, there were people waiting in line who had an appointment time later than ours. So make sure you are standing in the right queue.

I doubt the queues will be as long now given there are fewer students, but can never be sure.

[hserus]

A cheap and good quality option is hotel Maris, about half a km down the road from the consulate, near Stella Maris college.

Lots of good food options nearby and the Maris has an excellent (as in, inexpensive, with good snacks) bar, and another restaurant in it has quite good South Indian meals.

Near it are bayleaf, expensive Bengali food, and kalpaka in the lane next to the music academy, cheap and delicious kerala food. Some overpriced and underwhelming bars and restaurants across the road too, copper chimney, mainland China etc

Park your car at Maris and walk or take an auto

[hamster]

bsdbsd, just a headsup to you. It seem to be raining in chennai due to a low pressure formed over the coast. Please be prepared, especially when travelling with your kid around. You could have seen the effect of this Bangalore today.
If it rains in Chennai, Bangalore turns gloomy

[bsdbsd]

To everyone, I am really thankful and overwhelmed (in a positive sense) with your inputs, responses and suggestions - down to the weather, parking conditions, hotels etc in addition to routes. I wonder how I lived without this forum in early 2000s. You have made the entire thing very pleasant even before I start for the journey. Best wishes to you all.

[hserus]

It is raining very heavily, roads are flooded out here. Drive safe.

Originally Posted by hamster

bsdbsd, just a headsup to you. It seem to be raining in chennai due to a low pressure formed over the coast. Please be prepared, especially when travelling with your kid around. You could have seen the effect of this Bangalore today.
If it rains in Chennai, Bangalore turns gloomy

[pisthpeeps]

For the first time, driving to Bangalore from Chennai with family this weekend. Need to reach near Mathikere(Muthyala Nagar to be exact). Planning to take the Vellore-Hosur route. To reach Mathikere. i am planning to take the NICE ring road near Electronics city instead of bisecting the Bangalore city. Please confirm if i am right. Also please let me know if its easy to identify the NICE road exit near Electronics city. Should i get into any service road to join NICE road?

[sswaroop]

Originally Posted by pisthpeeps

i am planning to take the NICE ring road near Electronics city instead of bisecting the Bangalore city. Please confirm if i am right. Also please let me know if its easy to identify the NICE road exit near Electronics city. Should i get into any service road to join NICE road?

That route via NICE Road is longer by about 18-20 kms. But I guess it is faster unless you reach late at night. To enter NICE Road, you need to avoid taking the Electronic City Flyover. Keep to the right 2-3 lanes and you would not be taken into the toll booth for the flyover. After about 1 km or so of going under the flyover, (passing Infosys campus on the left) you need to take a left entry ramp to enter NICE road. It is clearly marked, but make sure you don't enter the Electronic City elevated toll flyover.

[pisthpeeps]

Originally Posted by sswaroop

But I guess it is faster unless you reach late at night.

Thanks. I would be reaching Electronic City around 12 noon on 6th Dec, Saturday. So will proceed through NICE road.