[kirantp]

Originally Posted by ampere

Should be doable.
Places : If you start at 4AM, 7AM at Salem you can break at GRT if you ware in a mood to splurge. Beyond Salem there is an Aryas before Namakkal.

@ampere: Thanks for providing your valuable inputs as usual

Originally Posted by ravib

Couple of things.

1) There could be fog between Attilbele-Hosur-Krishnagiri stretch in early
mornings, so it could slow you down due to low visibility. Watch out for it.

I had totally ignored about the fog factor. Thanks mate.

5) I've done Tirunelveli to Bangalore with family and kid in my i20, twice in last 4 months in about 7 hrs drive + about 1 hour break. Considering that, i guess it would easily take you about 9 to 10 hours to reach KK. In which car you are driving down to KK? It also depends and will increase/decrease the travel time.

We will be driving in All new Honda City and I have done long drives before as well covering BLR - Pune in 11hrs at a stretch. Though a solo driver, I enjoy the drive so I guess I can do KK in 10hrs or earlier.
-Ravi

Originally Posted by rknair

Interestingly the board says they have branches in Hosur & Krishnagiri as well. If they are good and the other branches are by the N-S Corridor these are additional pitstop options for the travellers in this route.

@rknair: I have noted down this one and will definitely add them to the list of options.

[kirantp]

Originally Posted by ampere

Should be doable.

4AM - BLR (Marathahalli)
6:30/7AM : Salem (200km)
9:30 AM : Dindigul (170km)
Madurai Bypass (Thirumangalam) : 10 AM (80km)
KK : 12/12:30 (230km)

Places : If you start at 4AM, 7AM at Salem you can break at GRT if you ware in a mood to splurge. Beyond Salem there is an Aryas before Namakkal.

Ampere: I think 7Am might be too early for breakfast. How about stopping at Aryas before Namakkal as you had suggested above? It would be around 8AM-8:30AM by the time we hit Aryas I guess. Is this located on the highway and any landmark would help locate it easily as I do not to miss it and let others starve along with me.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by kirantp

Ampere: I think 7Am might be too early for breakfast. How about stopping at Aryas before Namakkal as you had suggested above? It would be around 8AM-8:30AM by the time we hit Aryas I guess. Is this located on the highway and any landmark would help locate it easily as I do not to miss it and let others starve along with me.

Kiran,

Aryas is between Namakkal and Salem. Since Namakkal is itself just half an hour from Salem, and if you are at Salem by 7AM,
then its very likely you would at this place before 8AM.

More importantly I also dont know when does he open in the morning.
Though the place is right on the highway. No deviation needed to reach this place and the place very well marked.

Also since you would have done 200km till Salem from home; I think Salem is a good logical break point ! Trust me after 200km
of a good run, you would be hungry !

[vasoo]

Originally Posted by kirantp

Ampere: I think 7Am might be too early for breakfast. How about stopping at Aryas before Namakkal as you had suggested above? It would be around 8AM-8:30AM by the time we hit Aryas I guess. Is this located on the highway and any landmark would help locate it easily as I do not to miss it and let others starve along with me.

When I go to Kottayam, we used to stop at a hotel on the LHS after Karur bye-pass on NH 7. I think it was called Aristo. It was decent with good parking space and some play area for kids. If you start at 4AM from Bangalore you should reach there by around 8.30 AM.

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by vasoo

When I go to Kottayam, we used to stop at a hotel on the LHS after Karur bye-pass on NH 7. I think it was called Aristo. It was decent with good parking space and some play area for kids. If you start at 4AM from Bangalore you should reach there by around 8.30 AM.

This hotel is no more in business they have closed the shop few months back. However there is one after around 100m from this hotel which is Average.

[sarathlal]

While searching for Bangalore - Tvm (NH 7), google maps is defaulting to a route to bypass Nagercoil.

Any idea on this route, like its condition, traffic etc?
Will this be a better alternative to the much dreaded Nagercoil traffic?

[rknair]

Originally Posted by sarathlal

While searching for Bangalore - Tvm (NH 7), google maps is defaulting to a route to bypass Nagercoil.

Any idea on this route, like its condition, traffic etc?
Will this be a better alternative to the much dreaded Nagercoil traffic?

this is a diversion From Aralvaimozhi via Bhootapandi and Azhakiapandipuram and joining back on The NH near Kalkulam. I have noticed the diversion from Aralvaimozhi to be a narrow one. Has anyone used this road all the way?

[Blue Thunder]

Originally Posted by ampere

... Trust me after 200km of a good run, you would be hungry !

OT

This brings up an interesting view-point .
I agree to this point, that after 200kms drive early morning I would definitely feel hungry. But, if travelling with family, it presents a situation...the driver would be feeling hungry, while the rest of the family would have been sleeping from the start of the drive, and would be just waking up (~ 7:00am), and they would NOT be hungry. In a recent early-morning drive to Bangalore from Chennai, I faced this situation. Solution : I had a quick breakfast, while my family got refreshed at the restaurant (ShantiSagar on Chittoor route...ample/clean rest-rooms separate from the main dining area); got breakfast packed for them, and started off. They had it at leisure later on, while I continued driving.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Blue Thunder

This brings up an interesting view-point .
I agree to this point, that after 200kms drive early morning I would definitely feel hungry. But, if travelling with family, it presents a situation...
the driver would be feeling hungry, while the rest of the family would have been sleeping from the start of the drive, and would be just waking
up (~ 7:00am), and they would NOT be hungry.

+1. When I started with long drives I noticed many people want to take a break within 60-70km. If you notice there many breakpoints in this range
for almost all cities. So I went with the flow and used to take break at one of Kamat/CCD/A2B etc. (in my case I am in Bangalore)

But as my efficiency of long drives improved, I realised it makes sense to drive much more than 70km to take the first break. As a result I kind
of aligned on a 200-250km sweet spot, provided the road conditions are good (4-lane for example). Add to it some kind of a logical break-point with
availability of good hotels.

For example for people driving to Goa from Bangalore, it makes sense to break at Ranebennur which is about 320-350km away. Again this distance
is logical, as one can maintain an average of 80 very easily on the Bangalore-Bombay 4-lane GQ.

Again it depends on comfort levels for each person.

[daisyb]

Just back from the road trip to Kanyakumari and other places. Amazing roads, excellent weather made the trip very exciting. Did not face any border issues between Karnataka, Tamilnadu and Kerala.

Thanks to NPV, Ampere, HVK, Ranjit, Ravi, Pramod, Narayan and others for all the guidance. Felt very familiar with the routes and directions although we did this route for the first time. Thanks for the food options too.

My travelogue at http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...lliputhur.html

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by Mad Max

I think its called Velu Military Hotel and not Venu. Their briyani is not the typical Thalapakattu variety but a more moist variety. Love it! If I remember correctly, they were established in 1929 (the sign above the hotel says something like that)

At what time do they open for lunch? I am driving to Nagercoil tomorrow and hence thought of trying this place for lunch or take away if i reach early.

[hellmet]

We're a group of 4 males going in a Duster from Hyderabad to Nagercoil next week. HYD-BLR is a well known road for us so that's easy. Any idea about the present road condition from BLR to Nagercoil?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by hellmet

We're a group of 4 males going in a Duster from Hyderabad to Nagercoil next week. HYD-BLR is a well known road for us so that's easy. Any idea about the present road condition from BLR to Nagercoil?

4-lane all the way. Bangalore-Hosur is bad with lots of traffic and diversions (may be up to Krishnagiri). Beyond that its bliss.

[hellmet]

Originally Posted by ampere

4-lane all the way. Bangalore-Hosur is bad with lots of traffic and diversions (may be up to Krishnagiri). Beyond that its bliss.

Excellent! Thank you for the quick reply.

[vinukm]

Originally Posted by hellmet

We're a group of 4 males going in a Duster from Hyderabad to Nagercoil next week. HYD-BLR is a well known road for us so that's easy. Any idea about the present road condition from BLR to Nagercoil?

Just travelled to Madurai 2 weeks back and the roads are superb from Hosur to Madurai and as I know the roads are same upto Kanyakumari. You will enjoy your drive on your Duster